A Girl In Winter
by KiaraZero
Summary: Christiane and her sister Anya ran from the war, only to run back into it for Steve, Bucky and Peggy. Descendants of Odin's brother Vili, their lives are intertwined between Asgard and Earth through the ones they love. The question is, how far will they go to protect and fight for the ones they love?
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: Hello everyone! This is my first time writing, and first time publishing here. This is only the first chapter but it will develop along the storyline of the films. Please let me know what you think about the idea. Happy reading!

* * *

 **August 1940**

The transport plane rotors thrummed in the cold wind in a deserted airfield near Paris. In the distance, sirens wailing could be heard. It was as if her body had gone completely numb, a loud ringing in her ears – she couldn't tell if it was from the shock and rush of escaping, or from the sirens.

"Christiane! Run!"

Christiane snapped out of her daze, seeing her older sister, Anya and their friend, Peggy standing at the door of the plane a few meters away as it started moving slowly to take-off. She could hear engines of cars approaching, the invasion of France at its peak chaos. Her feet, heavy, started running, pounding on the tarmac as she jumped into the plane just in time.

"Go!" Peggy pulled the door shut, shouting over to the pilot to accelerate.  
"Buckle up, this is going to be a rough one" shouted the pilot. The plane suddenly lurched, climbing steeply upwards. The three women looked out the window, the motorcade of officers watching hopeless as the plane rose upwards into the sky, safe.

Anya looked out, her face emotionless as she put an arm around her sister, hugging her before turning to Peggy.

"Thank you." She sighed.

"For what?" Peggy putting her arm around Christiane to keep her warm.

"For coming to get us" Christiane whispered, putting her head on Peggy's shoulders.

The call from Peggy in London came only a few hours before. Anya, who was with the Resistance oversaw the translating of documents and intercepted codes from London and throughout other Resistance bases in France. She was the only one in the Marais apartment where they set up temporary base in that district where the Bougourd sisters lived a few streets away. The Carter and Bougourd families were family friends a few years back. Peggy, Anya and Christiane saw each other every year, with each taking turns spending time between England and France.

Anya had been working on deciphering codes freshly come in from the Resistance base in Alsace when the telephone rang, the shrill ring echoing in the quiet apartment.

"Oui?"

"Anya, is that you? It's Peggy."

"Good God, Peggy, how did you get this number?"

"It doesn't matter, you need to get out of France. Paris will fall tonight. I'm coming with an RAF buddy to get you. Meet us at the airfield in Bourg-La-Reine at 1800."

Peggy walked up to the cockpit, overlooking the cloud-line before turning around.

"You would have done it for me, we are family."

"Where are we heading to now?" Christiane looked from behind, keeping an eye on the airspeed and direction.

"Iceland, there's an American base there where we'll refuel and get some SSR personnel fleeing Europe also."

Anya looked from the window to the cockpit, peering at the twilight-blue night sky almost enveloping the aircraft.

"This SSR thing, do you think they will take me as an agent? What about Christiane?"

"I already put in a recommendation for you, to work alongside me. They need agents with your skillset, Anya. And you," Peggy turned to Christiane, now sitting next to Anya, "You're going back to school and finishing your high school diploma before we get into any business of how you'll save the world with us."

"I can hear a touch of sarcasm, Peggy."

"Christiane…" her sisters voice warned. She did not approve of her younger sister stubbornly talking back to her elders, even if it was just a year's difference.

"I'm serious Christiane, you finish the last year of high school and then you can join the SSR with us."

 **Iceland**

The three got off the plane in the dark, an airman waiting for them with an oil lamp as they walked to the nearby tents set up next to the airfield. Christiane could smell coffee and bread in the air, her stomach grumbled. She dreamt of the time, before the tension of the war and invasion where she would run to the local bakery down the road to get a freshly baked baguette for her family.

"Agent Carter!" a voice shouted from behind them. Peggy turned around, saluting and standing still – "Colonel Phillips, sir"

"Before bringing your recruit to the mess-hall, you should have brought them for registration and briefing with me, do that now."

"Yes sir." Peggy turned around, apologetically looking at the sisters before they all walked out to the next tent.

"Name?"

Anya stepped forwards, "Genevieve Anya Bougourd and Christiane Gerard Bougourd".

"Birthplace?"

"Paris, France."

"Date of birth?"

"I was born on the 12th of July 1921, and my sister was born on December 24th 1922."

"Family?"

"Only us."

The lady taking notes peered up through her glasses, inquiring.

"Our father passed in 25, and our mother in 31."

Colonel Phillips overlooked the documents being written – "Make a note for Christiane Bougourd, her height is to an advantage for combat. That will be all for registration". He walked to the table, pointing to the women to sit before looking at Anya.

"Agent Carter recommended you very highly to me Miss. Bougourd and insisted that if you were to work with us, your sister come as well and that eventually after she finishes her high school education, she will also work with the SSR."

Anya cleared her throat, "Yes sir."  
Christiane nodded, "Yes sir."

"Everything has been settled, once we arrive in New York, Agent Carter and you will be transported to our base, where you will receive further training and then embark on missions with Agent Carter. An apartment has been arranged for your sister, in Brooklyn of which you can visit every month for a weekend depending on your schedule. Finally," he looked to Christiane, "you, will be attending the French school in New York. That is non-negotiable. You will graduate and upon evaluation we will determine when you will start your training, is that clear?"

"Yes sir."

He looked back at Anya and Peggy, before standing up abruptly, "Good. Welcome to the SSR Agent Bougourd. Wheels up in 20 minutes."

 **New York**

They finally arrived in front of the apartment building, completely in red bricks and trees that hung over the steps to the door. Peggy took out the keys, handing one to Anya and one to Christiane, opening the door. Christiane followed behind, trailing after with the luggage. They went up the stairs to the top floor, reaching a thick wooden door, using another pair of keys on the set Peggy had given to the girls. 3C. The apartment was small, quaint, yet cozy. The door opened onto the living room, with a window looking down onto the street. To the left were the kitchen, and a hallway that led to two bedrooms and a bathroom. The apartment did not have much wall furnishings, apart from a few paintings.

"Well, this is home sweet home." Christiane sighed. It wasn't like the small and decorated apartments of Paris, but she could make it a home.

"As long as I get the bigger bedroom." Anya nudged her sister.

"We should probably get going, Anya." Peggy whispered. Only a few hours ago, they had escaped France, and it hurt her to have to separate the sisters. Peggy tiptoed to Christiane, giving her a big hug.

"Take care of my sister, Peggy", she whispered.  
"I will, don't worry. She's a fighter. And remember, try to blend in, okay?"

She nodded. Anya put her hand on Christiane's shoulder, before the two sisters hugged each other tightly.

"Prends-soin de toi, et faire attention, Anya." (Take care of yourself and be careful, Anya)

"T'inquiete pas de moi, ma petite poullette. Je t'aime." (Don't worry about me, my little chick. I love you)

"Je t'aime aussi." (I love you too)

Anya and Peggy smiled at their little one - "We'll call tonight."

Christiane walked them to the door, giving them one last embrace before she closed the door. In the quietness of the apartment itself, she could hear cars honking in the distance, sounds of music from other apartments and boys playing baseball in the street below. It reminded her of her friends back in Paris where she played football in the streets with them. She turned on the radio, a melody of trumpets and piano intertwining before occupying herself with unpacking whatever belongings the sisters could bring with them.

Soon, it was noon and her stomach grumbled. She decided instead of staying home to go to a nearby café and look over the documents of her school left by the SSR.

By the time the soup and glass of water that she ordered arrived, Christiane had already located on the map where the closest subway station was to get to school in Manhattan, the best walking routes from the apartment to the station in the morning and what she planned as a walk through Central Park after school finished early on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and the best route from there back to Brooklyn was. She took up a whole sitting booth, with maps and documents splayed out on one side of the table, and her bowl of soup on the other. Pen in hand, she drew a line on her route, making a mental note to hang the map back at the apartment.  
A voice suddenly interjected her thoughts as she looked up from the map to a small man with short blonde hair – "You really don't want to take that way, it's got a weird smell."

"-Oh?" she looked up at him.

"You'd want to take next street over, no smell there!" he smiled to himself.

"Thank you, I really appreciate it."

He smiled back "Are you new here?"

She laughed, "Is it really that obvious?" before looking down at the table before looking at him again, her arm outreached to him, "I'm Christiane - Christiane Bougourd."

His smile grew, "I'm Steve Rogers."  
"Nice to meet you!" she glanced at the empty seats across from her, "Would you like to sit?"  
"That'd be nice, thank you.", as he took up a menu and started browsing.

"Steve?" A voice shouted from behind.

Steve looked up, waving his arm, "Over here Buck!"

Christiane looked up at the smiling Steve before a tall figure emerged next to the table.

"Bucky, I want you to meet Christiane." Steve scooted over to let the man sit beside him.  
As he sat down, smiling, she finally got a look at the taller man with brown hair. His eyes stood out to her, a brilliant cerulean blue. It reminded her of the color of glaciers from the French Alps. She reached her arm out, as did he – "Hi, I'm Christiane Bougourd."

He smiled back, his nose crinkling a little as he took her hand and shook, "James Buchanan Barnes, ma'am."

"Please don't call me ma'am." As she blushed, taking a sip of her water.

"Then in that case, call me Bucky.", he smiled back, taking the menu from in front of Steve.

"How long have you been here?" asked Steve, trying to straighten up after noticing the height of Bucky and Christiane even while sitting.

"About a few hours actually." she replied while folding her maps and documents away.

Bucky eyed the maps, his eyebrow raised, "From New York?"

"Actually from France.", her face suddenly going white, "We fled the invasion.", her eyes widening suddenly remembering the situation and where she was.

Steve noticed this, looking at Bucky quickly, "How about we show you around later?"

"That'd be very nice", snapping out of her brief realization, her lips turned upright to look to the two boys sitting across from her.

Steve looked at her intently before smiling to himself, "Can we give you a nickname?"

Christiane looked puzzled, returning to her normal cheery self, "A nickname?".

Steve chimed in, "Like...Chrissy? "

"Chrissy..", she whispered to herself, as it if testing it.

Bucky continuing, "It's coming from Christiane, doll".

Christiane laughed, eyes bright, "Sounds good to me." She looked back at Steve, his eyebrows now furrowed.

"How come you don't have a French accent?"

Bucky elbowing him, "Steve!"  
"Ow!"

"My sister Anya taught me after school, she tried to emphasize on adapting our accents. But between you and me, I learnt it from hearing all your beautiful songs on the radio."

The taller one cleared his throat, "How about this doll, you teach us some French and we'll take you dancing with those tunes you talked about?"

"It's a deal!" She beamed smiling, her heart thrumming from excitement and happiness. It had only just been a few hours and she felt safe and at ease with the new surroundings.

The three new friends ate together, before walking Christiane back to her apartment.

Bucky saw her standing up, expecting her to be shorter as other girls were, but this girl stood almost as tall as him. Her green blue eyes stood out to him the most against her dark brown hair. She had a contagious smile. She smelt like lily flowers and clean linen. He knew right there and then, there was something special about her. He loved her enthusiasm, her eyes and the way her nose scrunched up when she laughed.  
He put his hands in his pockets, ducking his head down to hide his smile as she laughed at one of Steve's jokes, and how she listened intently at his description of New York.

They stopped in front of the apartment building.  
"Well, this my stop."

"Steve and I live a block from here, that reddish building over there in 2A so if you need anything, just knock."

"I suppose we'll be seeing each other very often then."


	2. Chapter 2

**October 1940**

The clock ticked, each pulse as if taking eternity to reach the next second mark. Christiane sat in her Russian class, her first class every morning, second guessing why she had chosen to take the class when she could already speak some of the language. Her grandmother, Anya Ivanovich-Bougourd, Anya's namesake, on her father's side was Russian, making sure during Christiane's childhood years that she spoke only Russian with her.

She was listening in on the class, but her interests were elsewhere to her other classes. It had been only a month since she had started her classes, and when she and Anya arrived in New York. The thought of her sister made her miss her, since the time Peggy and Anya had left to the SSR base, she hadn't gotten any message of them.

Deep down, she knew Peggy was looking out for Anya, as Anya was looking out for her. Smiling to herself, she remembered the summers the Carter and Bougourd families would meet in the countryside at their father's childhood home in Champagne. They knew each other from the Great War, where Peggy's father, Harrison Carter, fought alongside Gerard Bougourd.

The Bougourd family on her father's side were wine-makers, specifically champagne. They were well-off thanks to the fortune they received from their great-grandfather and grandfather's selling's to the then Second French Empire.  
The year after Christiane was born, her father passed away, leaving her mother to run the business with the remainder of the family. Anya knew Peggy and her brothers better, but always brought Christiane along with them on their adventures on the family property running down the rows of vines, climbing trees, and swimming in the nearby lake.  
The three girls were inseparable, and when the summer was over, they would continue to write letters to each other.

"Mademoiselle Bougourd!", the teacher called to her from the front. "Caught in your daydreams I see?"

"Non, monsieur.", she sat up straighter, trying to show she would be paying attention.

"Good," He pointed to a word written on the chalkboard, "Please read this word out loud and form a sentence."

" _Сложно_ (Complicated), The New York subway system is much more complicated than that of Paris' metro.", she replied easily.

"Very good.", averting his eyes to the other students.

Later that day, she had passed through Mathematics, Sciences and French Literature & History classes. Her final class of the day was thankfully Arts. She felt lucky that the school had this class, she was able to do something that she loved at least. Before the invasion of France, she played the piano, and spent time drawing out landscapes in Paris and the countryside. During the winters when the family moved to their mother's home in the Alps, she would spend hours sketching the snow on the pine trees beside her mother who was a talented artist.

By the time the invasion came, the piano was silenced, the paper and pencils conserved, and she took her time instead to fix bicycles and cars in the neighborhood while delivering bread for the bakeries. She was the messenger of the district, taking any pieces of information passed from one house to the other, with any messages to the Resistance to her sister.

Remembering the thought, Christiane gripped her bag tighter before heading to her table. She was stuck with the same bunch of boys, her being the only girl in her class.

"Ah! Mademoiselle Bougourd!", her professor approached, handing back her sketchbook from last week's marking, "Well done. The way you capture the shadowing of your landscapes are wonderful."

"Merci, monsieur.", she smiled before turning to face the boys sitting on both her sides.  
" _Quoi?_ (What?)" she asked, her face stern.

"You just had to be every teacher's favorite, don't you?", said Charles on her left.  
"Just because you're a girl, don't think we'll go easy on you.", glowered Robert.

Christiane relaxed in her chair, crossing her arms with her eyebrows raised, "And what makes you think as a boy you're better than me?"

"We just are.", Robert smirked arrogantly at her.  
"We know you live in Brooklyn. We've seen you get on the subway to go there. Your mama and papa can't afford for you to stay in Manhattan like the rest of us?" Charles smirking along with his friend.

Her fists balled up tightly, anger getting to her, before she let her fists release, controlling her emotions. She looked to the boys coolly, thinking to herself that if it had been back in Paris in her neighborhood, she would have chased those boys home to their mothers. From Monday till Friday ever since the first day of classes, Charles and Robert had been talking behind her back and rudely confronting her non-stop.

"Where are you from?", she asked coolly, but sternly.

They both replied, "Paris".

"Me too. When did you get out of Paris?"

"In April", replied Charles. "In April also", replied Robert. They looked more softly at her now, without the harshness of a guard they usually had up. Their eyes were still averted to the table.

Charles finally looked up at her, "When did you get out?"

"In August. You were lucky you got out before they came."

"How did you get out?", Robert asked, worry in his face.

"A family friend got my sister and I out, it was very risky."

Robert nodded, "What about your parents? Where are they?"

Christiane stilled for a moment, before quietly saying, " _Ils sont morts (they are dead)_."

Charles shook his head, his face twisting into disgust before he leaned in, "I'm so sorry, Christiane. I should have never said those things. Please forgive me," he looked to his friend, his face as white as a ghost now, "Please forgive us."

She nodded, "I do forgive you. And my parent's passing was a long time ago, it's alright. But why did you have to be so cruel to me these past weeks?"

Robert almost whispered, finally looking back at Christiane, "We were scared. Half of the class has almost no clue what is happening in Europe, while the rest of us…"  
Charles continued, "We had to have our guards up. We didn't know what would be coming in a new place, new people."

"It's understandable. But promise me you won't do something like this again? We need to stick together.", Christiane replied. She put her hand out to Robert, "A new start?"  
He took her hand to shake it, smiling, doing the same to Charles.

* * *

By the time classes were over, Christiane felt completely drained of energy and could not wait to get back home to at least see Steve and Bucky who came regularly over for dinner. It was a win-win situation, Steve and Bucky were a fire-hazard in the kitchen, while Christiane put cooking as her de-stressing vent for each day.

She got off at subway from Dekalb Station, amidst the flow of people during rush hour. It was starting to get dark already as the sky was tinged with orange and purple, scattered through the clouds, she gazed taking a moment, squinting a little.  
A voice suddenly interrupted her thoughts, "You know if you're going to squint a little harder, maybe the sky will come closer to you."  
Her gaze fell upon a tall man, standing against the lamp-post outside the station. His arms crossed, with a jacket draped over one. His hair slightly messy and curled at its tips, his blue-gray eyes bright.

"Bucky," she smiled going up to him. The weight of the day suddenly lifting as she saw him, "You're here, again."


	3. Chapter 3

**Her gaze fell upon a tall man, standing against the lamp-post outside the station. His arms crossed, with a jacket draped over one. His hair slightly messy and curled at its tips, his blue-gray eyes bright.**

 **"Bucky," she smiled going up to him. The weight of the day suddenly lifting as she saw him, "You're here, again."**

"Someone's got to walk you home." His tone sarcastic, but his lips curling with a glint of amusement in his eyes.

"You and Steve have been doing this every day after-school! You know you don't have to." She tried to hide her smile as he took her bag from her arms, holding it for her, "Merci".

He shrugged, "It's on the way home from the shipping yard. But mostly I'm just here to see you.", beaming to himself. He knew what kind of reaction Christiane would have, already lowering her face down, trying to hide her smile again.

She tried to compose herself, before looking up again trying to keep a straight face, "So, what do you and Steve want to have tonight?"

"How about that chicken stew you made a few weeks ago? Steve and I have some vegetables we need to do something with. And that was the best stew I've ever had.", holding out his arm to stop her as he looked both ways before crossing the street together.

Christiane still looking at him abruptly stopped when an arm suddenly stopped her. She looked down questioningly, then at Bucky who was still focused on the traffic on the road. Letting his arm drop down, they kept walking, their strides in sync with each other – "It's called a _poulet basquaise._ Wait till I make you a _boeuf bourgignon_ , or a stroganoff, you'll love that!"

"How did you learn how to cook?", Bucky looked over at her.

"From my mother and grandmother when I was growing up, they used to make the most delicious goulash", closing her eyes to imagine the soup cooking, it's smells and her grandmother and mother cooking together and she and Anya sat at the dinner table watching.

His face was pensive, "What's a goulash?"

"It's a soup with beef and vegetables with lots of paprika. It's the most heavenly thing to eat when it's cold outside."

"Promise you'll let me try one day?", as Bucky tried to envision the soup in his mind.

"I will.", smiling. They turned around the corner to their street, passing a mechanic shop. Christiane stopped looking before she noticed a flyer outside: _Mechanic needed. Some experience valued._

"Just a second, Bucky.", walking into the shop to find a man sitting behind a desk going through paperwork. Bucky followed behind confused.

"Good evening, I was wondering if you're still looking for a mechanic?"

The man stood up, looking at the girl confusingly before looking at the man standing behind her, "Yes I am. Who's the job for?", he glanced again between the two.

"For me. I have about 5 months of experience with fixing cars."

"Where did you work before?", he started writing on a piece of paper.

Christiane hesitated, "In my district of Paris, with the Resistance."

The man suddenly stopped, putting his pen down and staring back in awe. Bucky also looked at her with even more confusion on his face.

"There was a lack of men experienced with fixing cars and bicycles in the district after so many were drafted to war, so I took it upon myself to learn what I could.", she continued.

" _Mio Dio_ , you have the job. You have come so far, _picolla_.", he started smiling, looking to Bucky, "What about you, do you want a job too?"

"Oh no, not me, I already work at the ship yard, sir.", Bucky smiled politely.

"Very well then, I like that. You work hard.", he turned to Christiane, "Your brother?"

Bucky could only chuckle quietly. "Just friends, _signore_.", Christiane replied.

The man put his hand out to shake hers, "My name is Lorenzo Savini. I run this place with my wife, Gloria. You are always welcome to come to us for help if you need something. We must look out for each other."

"Christiane Bougourd, _grazie mille_ ", she smiled back. She couldn't believe how quickly she got the job. It was her turn to Bucky in awe and excitement.  
"When can I start, _Signore_ Savini?"

"No, please call me Lorenzo. What days are you available?"

"I can work on Monday, Wednesday and Friday after-school at 3 in the afternoon."

"That's great, and I can give you a shift till half-past 6, is that alright? You can start next week."

"Wonderful! Thank you so much again, Lorenzo! See you next week!"

"Ciao!", waving to the two.

Bucky whispered to her as they neared Christiane's apartment building, seeing Steve sitting on the steps outside waiting, "I can't believe you never told us you were part of the Resistance, doll."

She turned to see his face still in awe, a grin of shock mixed with delight. "You never asked!", she gleamed.

"You are one hell of a mystery, Christiane", as she walked past facing him smiling before turning to greet Steve. He couldn't help but stand there watching her, a strange feeling growing in his chest that quickened his heart and made him want to smile helplessly.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:** Just in case you were wondering what Anya calls Christiane - "ma poulette" in French is a sort of nickname meaning "my little chick/chicken". "Bisous" is kisses - after saying goodbye or when you are about to hang up the phone, it's usual to say "bisous".

Also if there are any native Italian-speakers reading, I'm sorry if the Italian is wrong (I'm learning!).

* * *

 **November 1940**

It was Friday evening, when the repair shop's phone rang. Lorenzo walked over, wiping his hands on his jumpsuit.  
"Hello?" he eyed at Christiane who was working on the underbelly of a blue Ford Anglia.  
"I see, just a second" he turned again to Christiane shouting in a thick Italian accent, "Cristiana! _La chiamata è per te._ (The call is for you.)"

Christiane pushed herself out on the roller seat, wiping her oily hands on her jumpsuits before taking up the telephone.  
"Hello?"

"Coucou ma poulette!" came a voice on the handset, a voice she'd know anywhere.

"Anya! How are you?" she jumped, smiling as she turned her back on the boys in the workshop startled by her shouting.

"I'm alright, and I'm coming home tonight. I'll come pick you up at the shop in about half an hour, is that alright?"

"Yes of course! But how did you get this number?"

"You think I'd let my little sister be all by herself? I've got eyes everywhere." Anya laughed.

"Aren't you the suspicious one." She raised her eyebrows, "I need to get back to work, but I'll see you soon."

"Okay, bisous"

"Bisous bisous", setting the handset down.

Lorenzo turned around to Christiane with a puzzled look – "Who was that?"

"My big sister actually.", walking past Lorenzo to get a wrench from the toolbox.

"I didn't know you had a big sister!", he beamed, smiling.

Christiane smiled back, walking to the Ford Anglia and under.

Sure enough, half an hour later on the dot as Christiane sat at the desk filling out her papers for the day, Anya walked through the garage door with a duffel bag on her shoulder.  
"Anya!", Christiane got up running to hug her sister.

"Ouf!" Taking the full force of her tall sister, "Have you gotten taller or am I shrinking?" she laughed.

"I think I'm still the same height", she pulled back, her nose scrunching up at the remark.

Anya cheeks were continuously red, something Christiane recognized as windburn from cold winds, and her hair's dark brown were now with lighter ends.  
"You've been in the sun? Somewhere cold?"

"Austria." She nodded, smiling.

Christiane's eyes widened, "Austria? How the-" just as Lorenzo walked to the two sisters. Anya immediately turned and put her hand out, " _Ciao, mi chiamo Anya Bougourd. Devi essere Lorenzo Savini!_ " (Hello, my name is Anya Bougourd. You must be Lorenzo Savini) _  
_  
He took her hand, nodding as his lips curved into a smile, _"Si signora."_ Before clasping his hands together, his smile widening, " _È così bello avere qualcuno con cui parlare italiano! Dove hai imparato l'italiano?"_ (It's so good to have someone to speak Italian to. Where did you learn Italian?)

Anya put her arm around her sister, "Our mother's family is from the Alps, bordering with Italy. My mother taught me, but Christiane didn't quite pick it up. She got all the other languages except for this beautiful one." The sisters both smiled at each other briefly, remembering their mother, before looking back at Lorenzo.

"I see, Italian is the most beautiful language" he nodded, before looking at the sisters, "Well, it certainly is such a delight to finally meet you. I was worried Christiane didn't have any family, but luckily she has you."

"Likewise, Signore Savini, I hope my little sister hasn't been causing you any trouble?"

Christiane quickly glanced at Anya, nudging her before smiling and bowing her head down, "Anya!"

Lorenzo chuckled, "Quite the contrary, she is the one of the most efficient mechanics and the quickest learner I have ever met. She easily beats all the boys working here. Also, my wife absolutely adores her."

"I'm glad to hear that. Again, it was lovely to meet you and I hope you have a good weekend!", replied Anya.

"You too!" as he handed Christiane's handbag on the table to her before walking the girls to the door.

The girls walked back in the twilight, arms linked together. Christiane rested her head on Anya's shoulder before taking her duffel bag.  
"No no, it's heavy!"

"Anya, you must be exhausted, let me carry it!"

"Look who's the big sister now" with Anya tiptoeing to rest her head on Christiane's high shoulder. "So, what should we have tonight?"

"I can make pasta and tomato sauce if you want?"

"That sounds delicious, you should see the food they give us down at the base."

"I'm not looking forwards to that…Also, is it alright my two friends come over for dinner? I didn't know you'd be coming back tonight so I thought I could invite them over. If you want I can reschedule with…"

"No! Don't be ridiculous. I'd like to meet your friends! Now tell me, how's school been?"

"Things I already learnt in Paris. Monsieur Trenet says I can graduate in five months' time." She walked, kicking up a pebble along with her shoe.

"And what about the others? When do they graduate?"

"In six months. But that's only because I don't have to take the Russian exam", the pebble flew forwards, out of sight.

"That's amazing! You're graduating a month before everyone else, that is something to be proud of!", her sister tightened her arm around her, smiling, at least trying to get Christiane to smile back.

"It's just, after that, I have to go train, don't I?"

"I'm sure we can find a way, what is it you want to do?", she looked concerningly to her sister.

"I want to work, get some experience in the real world, even if it means being a mechanic for a year. If the SSR really want me, shouldn't I have the best skills possible?"

"They can always train you there…", Anya said quietly.

Christiane took a deep breath, finally looking up at her sister. Her bright blue eyes filled with worry. "I just don't want to leave my friends, not yet… We left France so quickly, I didn't get a chance to say goodbye to our friends, our neighbors or even go to maman and papa's grave. I'm not ready to go straight back into the war yet.", she continued.

Anya stopped, turning around and putting her hands on her sister's shoulders, "I just want you to be happy, poulette. And I know, I wish we could have said goodbye too. But, we are here today, and if this is what you want and you're not ready yet, that's alright. I'll talk with Peggy about it, and we will try to arrange something for you with Philips."

Her sister nodded giving Anya a tight hug. They pulled away, arms linked and kept walking home.

"Out of curiosity, does the SSR have many women apart from you and Peggy?", Christiane asked, her eyebrows furrowed together.

"Oh lord, it's men everywhere!", Anya laughed.

Christiane smirked, "And is there?"

Anya's laughter stopped, eyes wide, "A what?"

"A man!", Christiane beamed. She loved catching her sister off-guard especially when it came to the matter of boys.

Anya's cheeks turned a bright red, trying to hide a smile, "Well, there is one man."

Her little sister gasped, "Who is he!"

"Someone at the SSR, it's a secret.", still trying to hide her smile.

"You could get in a lot of trouble for that, Anya! Does Peggy know?", Christiane replied, now wide-eyed but with a grin of amusement.

"Of course, she knows, she saw the signs before I even did!", her smile starting to grow.

Christiane got closer to her sister, looking around to see if anyone was around out of habit and whispered, "What's his name?"

Anya's eyes were filled with adoration, now as if smiling to herself, "Howard."

They reached the door of the apartment building, Christiane grinning again, "And will I ever meet this Monsieur Howard?" she mused in English with an intended French accent.

Anya stepped up the steps, face to face with her little sister smiling in amusement back, "And what about you? Any boys hmm?"

Christiane tried to reply back but couldn't. She was speechless. Looking down to her shoes as she opened the door wider for her sister to come in, she mumbled, her lips pouting, "Okay, you win."

"Ha! You know you can't beat me in this game!" They started up the stairs to the apartment, "But honestly Christiane," she looked to her sister who was trying to hide a smile again, "Is there someone?"

She nodded quickly, "But he doesn't know I like him.", before scurrying up to unlock the apartment door.

* * *

The water boiled in the pot, the water salted and the tomato sauce bubbling. Anya exited the bathroom, her nose lifting in the air to the smell of the cooking.  
"I miss that smell", she smiled to herself, her eyes closed.

Christiane turned around, her eyebrows raised, "The smell of tomatoes?"

"No silly! The smell of home-cooked food!"

"It reminds me of maman…" Christiane looked down to the floor, smiling to herself.

Anya walked up beside to her, hugging her tightly. "I know you miss her, I do too. But she's in a good place. So is papa too."

Christiane nodded in the hug, holding her sister tighter. Anya whispered into her sister's ear, "They would be very proud of you. Look at how much you've grown these past months. I'm proud of you too."

They pulled away from the hug, smiling at each other, their eyes glossy from oncoming tears.  
Christiane laughed, "No crying! We promised no crying!"

Anya shooed her hands to her sister back to cooking, "I'll set the table."

Christiane checked the tomato sauce again, before putting a lid on it to continue marinating in itself, turning to see her sister straightening the plates and cutlery.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. Christiane's eyes wide looking to her sister. Anya motioned her hand to the door, whispering "Should I get that?"

Her little sister rolled her eyes before smiling, "They'll be so confused! They have no idea who you are!"

Anya opened the door, grinning to the two boys standing outside, "Hello darlings!"

Steve looking alarmed and confused quickly looked at the apartment, and then at the woman standing in front of him. "Good evening, ma'am. Um, this is Chrissy's apartment, right?"

Anya put her head up, role-playing as clueless to the question, "Oh I don't know a Chrissy."

Bucky also confused, continued from Steve, "Is this Christiane's apartment?"

Anya going along with the conversation put her hands up in the air, "Ah! Christiane, yes, the tall girl. I think she…"

Christiane shouted from the kitchen, "Anya! Just let them in already!"  
She walked aside, holding the door for them just as Christiane put down the pot of spaghetti and tomato sauce on the table.  
"Meet my sister, Anya."

"The one and only!" Anya stood beaming.

Steve and Bucky immediately straightened up, their hands shooting out – "Steve Rogers, ma'am", "James Buchanan Barnes, ma'am"

The two sisters stood together, with the same smile and the same twinkle in their eyes.

Bucky's confused face slowly started smiling and nodding, "I see where the resemblance comes from now."

The sisters in fact looked very much alike except for Christiane's height and green eyes, and Anya's blue eyes.

Christiane walked back to the kitchen, taking the now empty pot, "You start eating, I'll just let this soak a little."

As soon as Christiane was out of ear-shot's range, Anya leaned in towards the center of the table with Steve and Bucky sitting on the other side.

"So, tell me, how long have you known Christiane?"

"Since the first day she arrived" replied Steve, "She was drawing on a map and I told her not to take one of the street's she had traced."

"Why not?" Anya tilting her head in confusion.

Bucky leaned in closer, his arms on the table, "Willoughby Street has a really bad smell."

Anya leaned back, crossing her arms and smiled before looking at the two boys sternly, "I have to thank you then."

"For?" Steve inquired.

"Being there for my sister. It really means a lot."

Bucky and Steve smiled. Anya continued, "But I need to know, as a big sister, when she finishes school late, does she walk back home alone?"

"Bucky actually walks with her every evening!" Steve chuckled as Bucky nervously elbowed Steve – "Ow! What was that for?"

Anya looked to Bucky, "Thank you, James."

"Bucky's alright, ma'am."

"Anya then."

Christiane came back, sitting at the table, "What did I miss?"

Anya cheekily smiled, looking at Christiane and then Steve and Bucky, "So where did this Chrissy nickname come from then?"

Christiane could only look at the boys both smiling, before digging into her food smiling to herself. "Only Steve calls me Chrissy now".

Steve smiled back, tucking into the spaghetti.

Anya turned to Bucky, "What about you, do you have a nickname yet for my little sister?"

He shook his head, smiling with what Anya thought was a tint of blushing on his cheeks, looking first at Christiane and then at Anya, "I haven't found the right one for her yet."

Anya turned her head to the side, "Oh?"

After dinner, Anya asked how Steve and Bucky met, as well as the boys asking the sisters about their childhood memories growing up in France. Soon, the boys retired back home, while the girls prepared themselves to sleep.

"It's that boy, isn't it?", Anya could feel a ghost of a smile coming on her lips, watching Christiane.

"Hmm?", Christiane replied while brushing her hair.

"Bucky, he's the boy you like.", she scooted closer to her sister sitting cross-legged.

Christiane huffed, rolling her eyes then smiling, "Yes, I like him."

"The way he looks at you, he likes you too", Anya was fully smiling now, excited for her sister.

"I don't think he's interested in me that way, we're just friends", she mumbled.

"Christiane! Look at me," pulling her sister to sit cross-legged with her, "He likes you, and one of these days you both are going to have to admit your feelings for each other."

"I don't know how," she mumbled again.

"You will when the time comes, trust me." Anya smiled confidently to herself.

Christiane flopped on the bed dragging her sister beside her before there was silence between the two.

She then turned abruptly to face her sister, her eyes squinting at her, "What were you doing in Austria?"

* * *

 **Meanwhile in Austria…**

Schmidt overlooked the icy terrain below him, emotionless. His back was turned away from the lab as he put on a glove, covering the red skin he had transformed into.

A knock came from the door – "Come in." By the sound, the footsteps were hurried, but also padding across quietly as if in a sense of fear. Schmidt turned around to see the Swiss scientist, "Herr Schmidt".  
"Ah, Dr. Zola.", he walked towards to scientist who cowered, his eyes to the ground, "What do you have to tell me?"

Zola swallowed, his breath shaking - "Erskine. You recall you put him in a dungeon cell in the Chiemgau Alps."

He raised his eyebrows, looking at the scientist more sternly. "What about him?"

"He's gone. He's escaped.", finally looking up at Schmidt. In his eyes, he could see anger building, his fists balled up and his jaw clenched. Red cracks started forming at the surface of his skin, as his rage finally exploded. His arms went for the table, swiping it of all of its contents and a feral shout from his voice. Zola could only stand back and watch, shaking.

Schmidt turned to the scientist, panting, "Where is he now?"

"We don't know, it's as if he vanished into thin air. None of the locks were compromised either and the guards at the facility did not see or hear anyone."

Just as if it never happened, Schmidt returned to a calmer state, walking across the strewn affairs on the floor towards him. "Well, we mustn't let that stop us with our newest discovery. Is that right, Doctor?"

Zola's face changed, a sudden relief in some sorts that he wasn't going to be punished for the bringing of news. Instead, he stood more sternly, and nodded. "Yes, Herr Schmidt. Hail Hydra."

"Hail Hydra.", his footsteps radiating through the lab as he reached for something in the vault behind his table, putting atop a box.

Opening the box, a bright blue light seeped out, a hum from the energy coursing through the lab.


	5. Chapter 5

**December 1940**

 **SSR Base in upstate New York**

Anya sat by her bedside, looking through the small trinket of photographs she had of her sister and family. Her thumb rested over a photograph of her parents and grandmother, sitting at a table outside of the doorway of their house in Champagne with vines trailing down the cobbled-walls behind them. Around them were bushes of flowers, she remembered as a light pink and yellow that her mother had planted the spring before. For a brief moment, she felt she was back there as the young girl in the photograph, holding onto her mother's linen skirt as she peered up to see her little sister in her father's arms. Anya closed her eyes, inhaling deeply as if trying to imagine the smell of those flowers, the smell of fresh bread coming from the kitchen window and the smell of baked tomatoes with garlic and herbs from the table as well as the acid but fragrant smell of red wine. Her ears tried to remember the chirps of the birds, the symphony of cicadas echoing from the nearby creek, and the laughs of her family. She opened her eyes again, flipping to the next photograph of herself in Paris as a student, proud with her diploma as she hugged Christiane tightly as they sat in front of the steps of La Sorbonne in the 6th district of Paris, studying their faces. It was just before the invasion; the weight of the war had not set in on their faces. Christiane looked more carefree, her long hair then swirling in the wind, her eyes light and bright as she held a garnet of flowers she had taken from Jardin de Luxembourg for her sister's ceremony. Anya looked at herself, her hair was tucked away with a braid as a crown, a hairstyle her grandmother insisted both girls wore for formal occasions. Her reflection in the photograph stared back smiling, almost young and liberated.

 _An Anya that could have been_ , she thought to herself, before looking up at the mirror fixated on the wall across the room. The dark circles under her eyes were imminent, her blue-grey eyes stared back, almost the color of a storm with dark clouds brewing over an Arctic sea. She chuckled to herself, reminding herself of the family legend her mother told her and Christiane for the reasons of their eye colors. Closing her eyes again, she tried to remember her mother's eyes, a mix of Anya's blue-grey and Christiane's green, with all of them having a small streak of a golden-orange to it.

 _"_ _Settle in, mes trésors." As their mother, Maria, smoothed their hair, lifting the duvet up closer to the girl's chins._

 _Their mother brushed her thumb over Anya's forehead then Christiane's smiling gently, "There is a family legend, that we had our eye colors given to us by the guardian of Bifrost in Asgard, Heimdal and Odin, the king of Asgard. Heimdall is said to have golden-orange eyes, and Odin had blue-grey eyes."_

 _"_ _What's Asgard, maman?" Christiane tried to scoot up her pillow to better see her mother._

 _"_ _It's the home of the gods. Up there," she pointed up, "is a big world, full of different lands. Asgard is where the gods live, and Heimdall is the gatekeeper to the road that connects all these lands."_

 _"_ _What does he do, maman?" Anya sat up, looking at her mother questioningly._

 _"_ _He sees all and hears all."  
Christiane sat up abruptly, "Comme le Papa Noël?" _

_Maria laughed, nodding, "Almost like Papa Noël, Christiane"._

 _"_ _Does he give presents?" Anya interjected, her eyes and smile widening._

 _"_ _Not like Papa Noël, but the king of Asgard, Odin, and him gave my side of the family a gift. Your great great grand-father, Harald Vilisson, was the son of an Asgardian prince, Prince Vili, the brother to Odin. Vili was a great warrior and chose to use his final years on Earth after a severe battle wound that took away many years of his life."_

 _"_ _But how does that work, maman?" Anya scratched her head, her eyebrows furrowing together._

 _"_ _Asgardians live much longer lives than we do as humans. They can live thousands of years longer than we do."_

 _"_ _And then what happened to Prince Vili?" Christiane mumbled._

 _"_ _He came to Earth to seek some peace and quiet finally and well," she smiled, "He fell in love and met a woman who was your great great great grandmother, Ingrid." The girls erupted in giggles, smiling at their mother._

 _"_ _And then what, maman? What did Odin and Heimdall do?" Anya asked._

 _"_ _Because Vili had suddenly disappeared from Asgard, Odin asked Heimdall to find him with his sight. He found him on Earth and saw he was with Ingrid. Heimdall tried to convince Vili to come back but he refused, making Odin have to come down to Earth to visit him. When that happened, Vili still wouldn't return to Asgard because he insisted to his brother that he was finally happy. Vili then introduced Odin and Heimdall to Ingrid and baby Harald. Seeing how happy they were together, Heimdall decided to give Harald a gift because of his half-Asgardian blood."_

 _"_ _What was the gift?" Christiane's asked, her face in awe and eyes wide._

 _"_ _Heimdall can see all and hear all in all the lands. Our gift was to see all and hear all to Asgard and to those that we love. Odin and Heimdall wanted Harald to be able to have a part of Asgard with him always. The brothers understood the true meaning of family. From then on, every generation has had a bit of Heimdall's sight in their eyes."_

 _"_ _Maman?" Anya held onto their mother's hand, "Do we have the gift?"_

 _She nodded, "It's in your eyes," she placed her palm on Anya's cheek, "You have the Asgardian blue eyes, just like your grandfather Olav with a streak of Heimdall's golden-orange" as Anya stared back in awe._

 _"_ _But what about me, maman? My eyes are green! That's not like you and Anya's eyes!", quietly mumbled Christiane._

 _Maria put her palm on her youngest daughter's cheek, taking in the bright emerald green of her eyes mixed with a tiny flair of grey-blue at the bottom and a streak of golden-orange, "You do have some bits of our eyes too, but you have the green eyes of Harald's eyes."_

 _Anya squinted her eyes questioningly, "But how do you know this maman? Do you see and hear everything?"_

 _"_ _Like I said, it is just a legend passed down through the family. Bonne nuit, mes trésors. Je t'aime.", as she kissed her daughter's goodnight, blowing out the candles and closing the door._ (Goodnight my treasures. I love you)

"Anya?", Peggy's voice came, cutting through her daydream.

"Hmm?" turning around to face her.

"I'm afraid we can't be there for Christiane's birthday, or Christmas. Orders have come in for us to go on a special operation till April in Europe. They want us to look for locations to set up SSR outposts throughout the European theater."

Anya sat there, looking down briefly before looking back up at Peggy. Peggy saw that she was disappointed, almost exasperated, "I suppose this weekend will be an early Christmas then for us. Do you think you can leave base and join us for the weekend?"

"I don't think so, there's a handful of paperwork administration has just sent me again that I need to get done before Philips returns on Monday." As Peggy sat down on her bed, undoing the pins in her hair, setting each one by one on the trinket bowl on her bedside table. She turned to Anya, exhaling and now looking exasperated, "Give my love to our little one?" Anya nodded, coming to sit beside Peggy as they stretched their legs out.  
"I can't believe the last time I saw her was…"

Anya replied with something between a chuckle and a sign, "When you got us out of Paris."

Both women smiled, chuckling softly. Peggy turned to Anya, her face semi-serious, "But, how is she?"

Monotonously, Anya replied, "School is great, she's at the top of her class right now. Her shifts at the car-shop are teaching her a lot it seems and I think she likes a boy." Anya's face immediately broke into smile.

Peggy's expression followed suite as she smiled, her face in excitement, "A boy!"

Anya nodded, her lips pursed and amusement written on her face, "And I've met him. Quite the handsome one and very polite."

Peggy leaned in closer, "Is he tall?"

"Taller than the giraffe that she is!" Anya burst into laughter.

"Good lord!", as Peggy in imitating looked up to the ceiling with a sudden hope in her eyes, "Finally, thank you.", before she burst into laughter with Anya.

Finally, Anya sighed, "Well, I should go call her and tell her the news then."

* * *

 **That Saturday, early-morning:**

Christiane heard a rustling from the foot of her bed before a hand rested to smooth her hair, "Wake up, _poulette_ ". She turned around sleepily to see Anya smiling down at her. Christiane smiled back, before realizing the darkness of her bedroom.

"What time is it?", she squinted her eyes at Anya.

"It's half past four in the morning." Anya replied coolly.

"Why in the world are you waking me up at this time of hour?" Christiane groaned as she struggled to sit up and find her lamp.

"Be ready in 15 minutes, and wrap up warmly.", as her sister got up from the bed and walked out the door to the kitchen. Already, Christiane could smell coffee and hot chocolate as well as some sort of pastry cooking in the oven.

"Where are we going!", she shouted after Anya.

Anya ducked her head round the doorframe smiling cheeringly, "It's a surprise! And Steve and Bucky will be here any minute."

" _Quoi!_ (What!)", as Christiane hurled herself off the bed onto the floor with a thud, scurrying to get her clothes from the drawers and rush to the bathroom.

Christiane splashed her face with the icy cold water from the tap, furiously brushing her teeth and combing her hair out. She didn't have time to even put it up before she could hear Steve's half-awaken voice outside the bathroom door.

Anya tapped on the door, "Hurry up!" just as she opened the bathroom door.

Immediately, she saw Bucky with ruffled messy hair looking at her suspiciously with a smirk, blanket in one arm and the other holding the front door open for Steve and Anya with the picnic basket and more blankets, walking out.

She grabbed her coat from the hook, draping it around her before walking past Bucky as he shut the door behind. They walked down the stairs together, carefully in the dark. As they reached the last steps onto the street where Steve waited in a car with Anya behind the wheel beside him, Bucky leaned closer to Christiane.

His breath warm against her cool skin, "You look beautiful with your hair down.", as he smiled to himself before standing back up taller and striding forwards to open the passenger car door for Christiane.

Christiane's eyes widened, the warmth of his breath still on her skin as her cheeks flushed bright red and her eyes darted down to the ground away from Bucky, avoiding his smile of amusement that was creeping onto his face.

As soon as they were all seated, Anya leapt the car forwards onto the main road. "You can all go back to sleep, we'll be there in two hours."

Christiane leaned forwards to the center of the front two seats, "Anya, will you please tell us where we are going!"

"It's a surprise!", Anya smiled proudly to herself.

" _Mais_ – (But)" Christiane's eyebrows were raised, about to go on a full-on interrogation in French to her sister.

"No buts! Now go back to sleep!", her sister now raised her eyebrows at her, one hand up with her finger pointed.

Christiane muttered back, semi-content with the prospect of falling back to sleep, _"Oui Anya"_ , before she closed her eyes, resting her head on the headrest of her seat.

Beside her, Bucky looked at Anya and then Steve, making sure they weren't looking before glancing at Christiane sleeping. Her lips were parted slightly and her cheeks a rosy pink from the cold. His eyes seemed to linger longer on her lips, as he felt his heart quickened imagining a place and time in the future where he could just –

"Buck?", Steve asked with an eyebrow raised and a smile of amusement.

"Huh?" Bucky snapping out of his daydream looking to his friend.

"Try to get some sleep.", he grinned back.

By the time they had arrived to the location, it was still dark outside. Anya turned around to see that somehow Christiane and Bucky had moved closer together, with Christiane's head rested against Bucky's shoulder and his against the top of her head. Anya smiled to herself, making a mental image of the sight before lightly tapping Steve to wake up.

"Steve", she whispered. Steve rubbed the sleep out of his eyes before realizing where they were parked, "Look behind." Anya giggled quietly.

Steve turned around, a smile growing on his face as he took a deep breath in, his smile widening. Quietly, the two of them got out of the car, making sure to make the sound of the car door closing prominent.

Christiane awoke to the sound of the car door closing, her eyes flustering to see Anya and Steve walk away from the car. Slowly, she turned to see what (who) she was leaning on only to suddenly pull away, wide-eyed in shock causing her to hit her head on the roof of the car.  
" _Aie!_ (Ow!)"

Suddenly Bucky also awoke abruptly, causing him to hit his head on the roof of the car with a loud thump, "Ow!", before looking at Christiane, rubbing his head.

"What happened?"

"I fell asleep on you.", Christiane replied, her gaze averted.

"Oh, come on, it mustn't' have been bad?", he looked to her waiting for her response. Instead all she could do was hide the smile appearing on her face, her hair covering the grin appearing. Bucky ducked his head lower to try to look at her, his lips forming into a smile when she finally looked up at him, her cheeks a more intense pink now.

Christiane looked at Bucky, his hand rubbing his head, she laughed quietly before biting on her lower lip, "What happened?"

"I bumped my head on the roof.", he shrugged.

"I'm sorry.", she whispered but her smile getting bigger.

Bucky's eyebrows rose, suddenly breaking out into laughter as he tried to lean towards her to tickle her, "No you're not!", as Christiane tried to move away bursting into a fit of giggles before she grabbed for the door handle and ran out into the cold wind with Bucky following behind.

The two of them laughing and running on the wooden-planked track of the surrounding sand hills finally reached the end, out of breath, only to see where Anya had taken them. In one direction was a stretch of wet sand with the ocean, and the other with sand dunes that seemed to go for miles. In the dark, the edges of the dunes seemed to cast shadows against each other, with the ocean-side casting the waters as dark and riffs of white cutting against the wind.

"Over here!", called out Steve as he helped Anya set blankets on the border between the two stretches.

As Anya set the picnic basket down, she took out two cannisters of coffee and hot chocolate, passing the cups around. "When did you have the time to do all of this?" Christiane asked.

"Last night actually, I borrowed a car and came down to see you."

Christiane squinted back, her smile suspicious, "Who's car?"

Anya straightened up, her eyes averted upwards but her smile obvious, "Someone from work."

"This is delicious!", Steve exclaimed from a sip of hot chocolate!

"The best hot chocolate I've ever had.", Bucky looked at Steve nodding.

"Someone gave me some Swiss chocolate so I thought I'd put it to good use.", Anya replied as she took a sip of hers.

Christiane smirked, her tone sarcastically teasing, "From someone from work also?" as Anya spurted her drink laughing.

Anya gave Christiane a look that could only mean revenge with a grin as she stood up, "I'm going to go take a walk down by the beach. Steve?"

Midway through his drink, "Mmmhmm.", getting up with an extra blanket around him as they went down the dune to the beach.

All Christiane could do was shake her head, laughing softly to herself before standing up as she took in the sound of the wind and the soft crash of the waves. For a moment, she felt at peace closing her eyes, missing the way the cold wind brushed against her face and her hair flying with the breeze. Their breaths formed icy smokes as they watched the darkness fight against the seep of light from the horizon.

"What are you thinking about?", Bucky whispered, getting up to stand beside her. He looked to her, moving closer to her. He placed his hand closely to hers, feeling the way a sudden charge of electricity like a current was between them. His heart quickened again, leaping and tossing around.

"This moment.", she whispered, her eyes still closed, a smile forming at her lips. He felt the urge to move closer, their hands millimeters apart. Christiane opened her eyes, looking forwards to the horizon. Slowly, her eyes moved to look to Bucky who was also looking to the horizon. She felt a prickle of electricity between their hands, moving closer and closer to each other. Each inch and millimeter quickening her heart.

"Are you happy?", he whispered back.

She nodded, "Yes."

His hand moving closer, their hands almost touching by a millimeter. She could feel his hand slightly shaking, at times touching with hers.

She could hear him breathing, taking a deep breath, his eyes still set on the horizon, "Christiane."

Her heart only quickened, her breath hitching, as she finally made herself look at him, his hair still tossed from sleep, his eyes a bright and clear cerulean blue. He turned to see her glancing at him through her lashes, her lips parted again anticipating what he would say, her eyes green but with the grey in it more prominent in the dark blue of dawn. He could feel his heart squeeze tighter in his chest.

He tried to find the words, his voice croaked, "I.."

Christiane reached out to grab Bucky's shirt to her, feeling the fabric on her fingers. Taking a step forwards, he was closer than he had ever been. He bent his head slightly down, gently kissing the corner of her lips slowly, before she kissed him back, her hand moving to his cheek. He tasted like chocolate as Christiane felt a pressure to her lips, his hand intertwining with hers as his other free hand slid into her hair, pulling her closer to him. He moved her hands from his shirt to his shoulder, as he wrapped his arm around her waist tightly. Christiane opened her mouth to his. Bucky couldn't hear anything anymore except for what he thought was the sound of the wind coursing past his ears. He never felt so light-headed, almost tipsy. Christiane pulled back, gasping for air, taking a step back for balance only to have Bucky hold her closer to him, bringing his forehead against hers.

When they both regained their normal breathing, Bucky whispered, "That was…"

"Finally!", came a voice and a holler from Anya as she waved her hands from down at the beach, causing the two of them to pull away from each other as they squinted down to where she was, the first light of a sunrise emerging.

Bucky was the first to laugh, ducking his head down to smile to himself before he leaned his cheek into her palm. Christiane lifted his face to look at her, his pulse rushing seeing her cheeks a darker rose.

Before Bucky could say anything, Christiane put a finger to his lips, as she now tried to hide her smile. Bucky lifted her chin up, making her look at him.

"I've wanted to do that for a long time", his cheeks now flushed pink.

"Bucky," Christiane hesitated, a smile still on her lips, but her eyes in confusion, "We've only known each other 5 months, is this too soon?"

He shook his head, "No, because I like you Christiane. You are stubborn and incredibly smart, and unlike any other person I have ever met and I want to know everything about you."

"But what about what…" her eyes darted around their surroundings, even though they were the only ones there, "what will everyone else think?"

"I don't care what they think. Do you?" he looked at her intently with hope.

"No..", she whispered, "It's just, I'm not very good at this."

He could hear Anya and Steve walking and voices up the dune's path coming towards them, "Then we'll do this together then."

She smiled to him, before resting her head on his shoulder and wrapping a blanket around them, their hands intertwined together.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note:** Thank you to everyone who has been following along! I hope you are enjoying the story.

The song that Christiane sings in this chapter is 'J'attendrai by Tino Rossi'. It was very popular during WWII in France, originally an Italian song, "Tornerai by Nino Rastelli & Carlo Butti" and went on to have different versions equally popular like in Great Britain with "We'll Meet Again by Vera Lynn". The second song is La Marseillaise (France's national anthem).

Would love to hear your comments on how the story is going and about anything on it and reviews are always appreciated!

 **December 1931**

It was a cold winter, where the children stayed at their mother's-side cabin in the Alps. Their mother had insisted to spend her final days at the cabin, a place she grew up in surrounded by her children. It was after a hard struggle, that she passed in her sleep. The next day, the Bougourd sisters dressed in black, with their warmest coats on as they walked through the village to put their mother to rest finally with her family.

That evening, their grandmother tucked them in, a tear streaming down her cheeks as she smiled weakly to her grandchildren.

"Sleep, мои маленькие (moi malynkyen - my little ones)."

Anya shifted around to put an arm on her little sister, quietly sobbing into her pillow.

"ба ба (ba ba – grandma), where has maman gone?"

"She's up in the heavens now" as she wiped a tear from Christiane and smoothed out Anya's hair. "She's is an angel now, looking over you."

That night, Anya drifted into sleep, her arm still tightly wrapped around Christiane, the tears finally dry on her cheeks as she curled herself into a tight ball asleep.

Anya felt herself being pulled down, a gravitational force on her chest pulling her until it finally propelled her forwards. Wind rushed through her ears, the lights blinding her in technicolor magnificence, and the smell of burning on her nose. All she could do was scream, she was flying.

Flying uncontrollably through a sort of shiny rainbow until suddenly she stopped, standing in a golden room with two openings. Both had the rainbow bridge extending, one to the darkness amongst the stars, and the other to a bright structure in the distance, almost rising to the sky. Her eyes squinted, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Daughter of Maria Andersen-Bougourd" came voice from behind her.

Anya quickly turned on her heels to look up at a man in armor, his golden eyes looking back at her intently.

"Y-y-yes" she stammered.

He knelt down beside her, putting his sword down. His expression changed from stern to one of concern and empathy, "I am sorry about the loss of your mother", he said with a sigh.

Anya looked down, her voice almost a whisper "How did you know?"

"I see all and hear all, Anya."

She looked back up, eyes hopeful, "You are Heimdall."

He nodded, returning a small smile.

"The gift has been passed on to you now."

Her eyebrows furrowed, "The gift?"

"Your mother once told you about the family legend did she not?", his eyes hopeful.

"She did, she told us we were Asgardian"

Heimdall stood up and chuckled, his eyes filled with amusement, "You are, despite the many generations that have passed, you still have the blood of Vili in you," he said. "You are now the eldest, Anya, and only now are you able to receive the gift."

"What is the gift?" Anya ran behind him before sitting down on the steps leading to a sort of podium.

Heimdall gazed out into the distance towards the palace. "Your gift, just like your mother's is the ability to control dreams."

"And how do I do it?", she looked up to him.

"You could either touch the person you wish to control their dreams, or with practice, enter a place of limbo where you can create dreams for somebody."

"Will you help me practice?", Anya replied.

Heimdall opened a pocket at his sword's belt, taking out a small oxidized copper coin on a lace. He placed the necklace in Anya's palm, revealing a rune.

"That was maman's necklace, and Christiane has one. How do you have one?", she looked at him questioningly.

"This rune is for protection. Your mind will travel to places you never knew existed. You come from a lineage of explorers and adventurers, Anya. This is all I can offer you for now."

"What gift will my sister get?", she sat down, looking at the rainbow bridge cross to a tall golden structure in the distance.

"Christiane will be able to control dreams also, as well as the ability to see her soulmate through space and time.", he sat beside her.

Anya looked up at him, whispering, "Will I ever get to see my soulmate, Heimdall?"

Heimdall chuckled again, smiling to himself as he closed his eyes shaking his head. "My dear Anya, when the time is right, you will know who your soulmate is. You will feel it," he pointed to his heart, "in here."

Anya leaned in closer, her eyes questioning him, exclaiming "But do you know who it is!"

"He lives here on Asgard.", Heimdall returned his eyes to the Bifrost.

Anya looked to the palace, "Can I go into the city?"

"Only through your mind, not physically. Nobody can see you here, but your presence is felt."

"How do I use my mind to go…" she looked back down, taking in the hollowness she felt inside before looking back up again, "there?"

"Close your eyes, listen carefully to everything around you and yourself. Breathe, Anya."

Anya closed her eyes, filling her lungs deeply with the cool air around her, letting her mind and ears try to take in the space. She could hear laughing before she saw where she was as it took her to a square with a tree in the middle. Around her were people going about their day, smiling, laughing and talking to each other. Leaning against the tree was a boy, not so much older than her with black hair and blue eyes. As soon as he saw Anya looking at him, he straightened up, looking at her questioningly before walking to her, never leaving his eyes from hers.

"You can see me," Anya looked up at him.

"Of course I can, everyone else is just too blind," he replied coolly.

"But Heimdall said nobody could see me," she furrowed her eyebrows.

"He's right, they can't," he smiled to himself, "but I'm special."

"Who are you?", Anya looked at him, his blue eyes endless.

"Loki, who are you?", he asked, smiling charmingly at her.

"Anya."

"Vili's descendant, you are mortal.", he looked back at her, her blue-grey eyes stirring like a storm over an ocean, the slit of gold almost gleaming.

"Aren't you?", she asked.

All Loki could do was smile back in return. He usually never got along with anyone else except for his mother and occasionally Thor, but he felt different with her. He felt safe and appreciated. His chest felt unusually warm, like his heart started beating faster as he approached her. He wanted to know everything about her, and be with her. He knew in that moment, he couldn't leave her.

"How did you get here?" he asked.

"Some sort of rainbow thing brought me here."

"Ah!", he chuckled, "The Bifrost. You'll only be able to come here if Heimdall allows you through the Bifrost."

"Heimdall said there was also a place of limbo I could go to also.", she looked up to the sky, with birds and ships floating in the sky.

Loki looked at her more intently now, "I could show you how to get there."

"You can control dreams?" Christiane asked.

"No but I'm quite good at illusions, which lets me go anywhere if I can picture it well enough." He turned to look up to the sky, "But what specifically can you do?"

"Heimdall said to control dreams, and something about seeing loved ones."

Loki smiled, "I believe your mother also had those abilities. Your grandfather though was completely different, he could teleport anywhere he wished."

Anya looked at him, her eyes squinting, "How did you know my mother?"

"She came here often, when she fell asleep, she found a way to get here somehow. She was very close to my mother."

Christiane looked down, kicking her feet at the cobblestone. Loki sensed she was sad, putting his hand on her arm, "I am sorry about your loss, it must be very difficult for you."

The tears started spilling again, quiet sobs as she looked up to the skies again, as if trying to find answers.

"I just don't understand, why maman had to go also. Papa died a few years ago, and now maman. My sister and I only have our grandmother left."

Loki took her hand, leading her to the shade of a tree with cobbled-steps under. He sat her down, tucking his legs under as he watched her cry.

"I'm not very good of comforting," he said quietly, "But maybe this might help". He turned his hand where a piece of chocolate appeared.

"How...did...", she looked up at him in both fascination and confusion.

Loki smiled, "Magic".

Anya took the piece, breaking it in half and handing a piece to him, "Thank you", she smiled in return.

Loki looked at her in confusion wondering why she would break the piece in half until he realized she was sharing it with him. He took the piece in awe, before standing up to look at her.

"Come! You don't have much time here so I may as well show you around and get you back to Heimdall before sun-down."

He extended his hand out to her, waiting for her to accept it.

Anya looked at him, seeing the wildness in his eyes. She took his hand as he brought her arm through his.

 **24** **th** **December 1940**

 **Somewhere over the Atlantic**

"Anya!", she shook her out of sleep.

"Hmm?", she turned around sleepily, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

Peggy leaned down smiling, whispering to her, "Come on, strap in. We'll be landing in Iceland soon." As she smoothed out Anya's hair and then walked to the cockpit to talk with the flight engineer.

Anya slowly got herself up, going through her pack to get her water canister. Her hands passed by the pocket she kept her most precious items. She opened it, taking out three items: a necklace, a photograph of her sister and her, and a bracelet. She put the necklace on, the one that was passed down to her, touching the pendant before looking at the photograph. For a moment, she passed her thumb over her sister's image, thinking of her, whispering to herself, _"Joyeux anniversaire et Bon Noël ma poulette"_ (Happy birthday and merry Christmas my little chicken), before putting the photograph away. Finally, she brought up the bracelet. It had a green cord, with colored beads in between. She took it up gingerly, looking at it with both confusion and nostalgia. All she could do was whisper to herself through the howling of the airplane's rotors and the wind outside, "Where'd you go Loki..." she sighed.

 **24** **th** **December 1940**

 **New York**

Christiane stood in the small crowd of her school's auditorium, looking at the French flag and American flag hang side by side behind the stage. Her school principal crossed the stage with a glass of bourbon in his hand before clearing his throat.

 _"_ _Bonsoir et bienvenue à tous! Ce soir, nous fêtons l'esprit d'être entre nous. Noël et le Nouvel An approchent, même si nous sommes pas en France, et nous sommes pas nombreuses, j'espère ce soir avec nos étudiants du lycée et leurs familles et amies, nous pouvons célébrons ensemble."_ (Good evening and welcome everyone! This evening, we celebrate the spirit of being together. Christmas and the New Year approaches, even if we are not in France, and we are not many amongst us, I hope this evening with our students and their family and friends, we can celebrate together.)

He raised his glass, before coming off the stage and putting the needle on the gramophone, singing songs of her fatherland.

Christiane looked around seeing whether Steve and Bucky had arrived or not.

Charles and Robert walked up to her on either side, _"Tu cherche qui?"_ (Who are you looking for?)

 _"_ _Mes amies"_ (my friends) she replied, tip-toeing to get a better look. She first saw Bucky, waving to him as he saw her.

 _"_ _T'es sur le grand n'est pas ton petit copain?"_ (You sure the tall one isn't your boyfriend?) Robert nudged her, with Charles laughing cheekily.

Christiane glared at the two boys before they quietened with Bucky and Steve's arrival.

Steve was struggling for breath, gasping, "Sorry we're late." He looked up at Bucky, "Buck here got us lost and got off at the wrong station so we had to run."

"Manhattan is confusing", he muttered.

"Well at least you're here now! You didn't miss much." She looked to Robert and Charles, eyeing at them.

"This is Robert Dubois and Charles Mont-Rouge. They are my classmates."

Bucky extended his hand, shaking firmly. "Nice to meet you."

Steve did the same, "How do you do."

"We better get to our families or our mother's will give us a shouting later. Good luck up there!", Charles said.

Christiane smiled back, "Good luck to you too!" as they waved to each other.

Steve looked at them then her confusingly, "Luck? Why would you need luck?"

Christiane smiled shyly, "Every student has to perform something."

Bucky cheekily smiled, "Oh really? And what are you doing?"

"You'll see." she replied, before walking over to the food table.

After a few rounds, with Bucky and Christiane stuffing Steve with food, it came time for the performances. Charles and Robert cited poems by Voltaire, others played an instrument like the piano or violin, or sang. Soon it was Christiane's turn as the principal crossed the stage, smiling all too happily after a few more glasses of bourbon.

"And now, we have a special song for one of our very own student whose birthday is today," the principal waving his hands to dim the lights as a candle floated from one of the doors to her. Everyone around her started singing in French, with Bucky and Steve singing in unison in English:  
 _"Joyeux anniversaire, joyeux anniversaire, joyeux anniversaire Christiane, joyeux anniversaire!"_ (Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday Christiane, happy birthday to you!)

Bucky leaned in to Christiane, whispering in her ear, "Remember to make a wish."

Christiane closed her eyes, putting her palms together almost in a prayer as she took a huff and wished – for Anya and Peggy's protection, for the war to be over soon and for it to snow tonight – before she opened her eyes and blew out the candle on the cake and cut the cake for everyone to have a piece.

Steve tucked into his piece, "What did you wish for?"

"Isn't it against the rules to tell your wish?" she laughed between bites of the chocolate cake.

"Not if your secret is safe with us!", Bucky quickly leaned in kissing her cheek.

"Aie! Stop!" she giggled, pushing him away. The piano started playing again with some students singing French Christmas carols. Surrounding them was laughter and happiness, Christiane could only feel a sense of warmth, one that she hoped Anya and Peggy also felt wherever they were on their mission.

Before she forgot, she turned around to her bag wedged between herself and her seat, taking out two small boxes.

"It is Christmas after all," Christiane smiled to herself before giving Steve and Bucky each a box, " _Bon Noël_ (Merry Christmas)"

Steve looked at her alarmingly, "Chrissy, what is this? You shouldn't have!"

"Open them!" she smiled, putting her hands together watching their expressions.

Steve opened his box first, revealing a small copper coin. Wide-eyed and smiling-wide, he jumped to hug her tightly.

"It's stunning! Thank you!" he smiled in awe at the little wooden box it was in.

Christiane turned to Bucky, "Open yours!" she bit her lip nervously, anticipating his reaction.

Bucky opened the box to reveal a copper coin with a hole in the middle as a necklace, engraved with markings on it.

"It's beautiful," as he took it out delicately, looking and feeling the engravings on his fingers. "What is it?"

"The coins, it was the last ones in my family on my mother's side. My mother had one, my sister got my mother's and I have one. My mother had two extra ones kept in case we ever had a little brother or sister."

He looked at her intently before looking back at the coin, feeling the markings again, "What does it mean, these lines?"

"It's a protection rune from the Vikings. My mother's father's side came from Norway so we always kept this in the family."

Bucky felt speechless, his mind gone completely blank. "Christiane, I can't take this. It has so much significance to you."

Steve feeling equally speechless, wide-eyed to Christiane, "It's meant to stay in your family, Chrissy."

"Which is why I want you to have it. You are like family to me now, and you," she turned to Steve, "Stop getting yourself into fights! If this thing even works, then by Heavens I hope it protects you from those darn Smith boys," before she turned to Bucky, "And you, you mean a lot to me and I don't want anything bad to happen to you. Understood?"

There was a silence between them before a smile slowly crossed Steve's face as he tucked the coin into his pocket, "Yes ma'am".

"Good." She nodded to Steve.

"Thank you," Bucky put a finger on Christiane's chin, pulling her face to look at his before kissing her delicately and quickly on her lips.

After another song finished, the principal once again crossed the stage:

"And now, we have Christiane Gerard Bougourd, singing and playing the piano."

Christiane got up coolly, taking a look at both Steve and Bucky before getting up on the stage, smiling radiantly as she sat by the piano playing the first note, her voice high and clear.

 _J'attendrai_

 _Le jour et la nuit, j'attendrai toujours.._

There was a standing applause as the French in the room clapped and whistled. Some even stood during the performance, wiping a tear from their eyes.

Robert and Claude were seated behind Steve and Bucky, as Steve leaned over to Robert.

"Why are some people crying? What does the song mean?"

Claude whispered back, "It is about waiting."

Robert leaning in, "But most importantly, it's a song that everyone knows right now in France. It is very popular."

"But why are some people crying?", Steve questioned again.

"Waiting for someone or something. Like we are all waiting for the day we can go back and things go back to normal without the war. That's the way we interpret the song." Claude whispered.

Christiane skipped to the table, sitting down next to Bucky.

"How did I do?", she smiled, taking a sip of juice.

Bucky smiled again, whispering as he leaned in closer to her, "I didn't know you could sing and play the piano."

Christiane shrugged as she looked back to the stage to see the principal once again stand on the stage.

"The last performance for tonight will be performed by all our students. Something a little close to home."

"I'll be back," she gave Bucky a peck on the cheek and Steve a squeeze on his shoulder as she made her way with Robert and Claude and everyone else back to the stage. She took her stand in the front, looking at her other classmates on the violin and a teacher on the piano as he counted them in to the final song.

 _"_ _Un, deux, trois, quatre."_ (one, two, three, four), he said while looking around at his students.

 _Allons enfants de la patrie, la jour de gloire est arrivé!_

As the voices strong and fierce sung, the piano and violin equally playing strongly.

Steve and Bucky watched around them as parents and teachers stood up, chins high and sung with all their pride and force.

 _—_ _Mugir ces féroces soldats, ils viennent jusque dans vos bras, égorger nos fils, vos compagnes!_

They stood up too, witnessing a piece of France across the Atlantic, the spirit and wish for a free France high in the air.

 _Aux armes citoyens! Formez vos bataillons! Marchons, marchons, qu'un sang d'impure, abreuve de nos sillons!_

As everyone erupted in applause and whistling. Bucky and Steve looked around in awe at the spirit coursing through the room between everyone.

Robert, Claude and Christiane stood front of the stage, raising her voice, "Vive la France!" as everyone proceeded to cheer with them, "Vive la France!".

As the evening's festivities ended, Christiane said goodbye to her friends for the holidays before walking back with Bucky and Steve to the subway back to Brooklyn.

"Thank you for inviting us," Steve looked up at Christiane smiling.

"I'm happy you enjoyed it," she replied.

"It's been a while since we went to a Christmas party like that," Bucky sighed, looking up to the sky.

"The last time must have been when our folks were still around Buck," Steve replied looking at him.

"It's really been a while hasn't it, huh?", he smiled quietly to himself, taking in the way the dark night sky seemed to extend to infinity before looking back at Steve and Christiane. "Well, the evening's not over!"

"What?", Christiane exclaimed in confusion.

"It's your birthday and it's Christmas! We've got to celebrate!" Steve laughed.

"You're kidding me, right? By the time we get back to Brooklyn it would be…" Christiane interjected.

"Come on! It'll be fun!", Bucky nudged her.

"Alright, where to then?", she halted, her hands outreached to the two men standing in front of her.

Bucky shrugged, "Back to your place", before walking forwards.

"What!", Christiane looked at Steve confusingly.

"Come on," he smiled, offering his arm for her as they walked.

As Christiane turned the key to her apartment, Steve reached for the light switch by the door. Christiane gasped, standing speechless as her hand went over her mouth.

The living room was decorated with a small pine tree in the corner with little paper painted ornaments she could only assume was made by Steve. Under the tree were two boxes as Steve went to stand by the tree.

"What do you think? Steve smiled brightly.

"It's…I can't believe it!" Christiane gasped, still in awe and shock.

She could feel Bucky beside her, "Look up," he whispered.

She looked up to see mistletoe – before she knew it, Bucky swooped her in his arms, dipping her and kissing her long and sweet.

"Ahem." Steve cleared his throat.

The two pulled apart, Christiane shyly moving away from Bucky before he engulfed her with his arm around her as they walked to the tree.

"Open it!" Steve handing her a box.

Christiane sat down, opening it to reveal a book, _"Murder on the Orient Express"_ , the tenth book of the Hercule Poirot series by Agatha Christie.

"Steve! How did you know I've been reading this?" Christiane smiled extatically.

"Anya told me," he smiled guilty.

She gave him a big hug. "Thank you!"

"Open mine now!", Bucky passed his box to her.

She opened it slowly, to reveal a small wood-carven bear.

"It's beautiful! How did you know?" she smiled, her head to the side.

"That you like bears?"

"What did Anya tell you?"

"That you and Anya used to look up to the stars when you were younger, and that you knew everything about each of the constellations, but your favorite was..." he replied enthusiastically.

"Ursa Major," she chuckled, shaking her head. "It's beautiful, Bucky. Thank you.", leaning in to kiss him, her hand on his cheek.

She pulled back, holding the bear closely to her before getting up. "I'll go make some hot chocolate, you boys make yourself comfortable."

They ended up spending the night talking and playing a board game Steve had brought along before they all fell asleep on the floor. Steve had taken the sofa, curled up in the cushions that seemed to swallow his small body, while Christiane and Bucky slept on the floor, closely hugging each other.

First light shone through the window as it hit Bucky's eyes as he awoke, looking out the window to see it had snowed overnight, making a mental note to take Steve and Christiane outside for a snowball fight and snow angels. He turned to see Christiane curled up beside him, pillows in between them for the sake of modesty. Her leg was halfway across on his side, perhaps in her sleep attempting to bring down the border as her eyelashes cast shadows on her cheeks, her long brown hair splayed out behind her. Bucky made sure to memorize that moment eternally.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note:** Hope you're all enjoying the story so far! I'd love to hear what you think about the Anya and Loki arc.  
For this chapter, the Italian song is 'Mamma' sung by Beniamino Gigli and 'Only Forever' by Bing Crosby.

Reviews are always appreciated!  
-Kiara

* * *

 **December 25 1940**

The next morning, Christiane woke to the first rays of sun between the twilight briefly shining through thick fluffy grey clouds, dancing through openings before vanishing completely. Twilight reflected off the snow that had built up overnight outside, casting a luminescent blue shade into the apartment. She rubbed her eyes, stretching her body with one arm in the air, looking at her wristwatch reading 6 in the morning, before plopping back on the pillow to look at a pair of bright blue eyes watching her. Her eyes drifted to her leg that brought down the pillow barrier between them, her cheeks blushing, before looking back at those eyes.

She could see a gentle smirk appearing on his lips, as he propped his head on an arm.

"Mornin'", he whispered, his smile growing.

"Mmmm _bonjour_ (Good morning)", she smiled, putting an arm in the air to cover her eyes from the twilight of the room.

"Did you sleep well?", he looked at her intently.

She nodded, closing her eyes for a moment, "Very well, and you?" before opening her eyes to look over at Steve, still wrapped up in a tiny ball across from them in a pillow fort he created.

"The best sleep I've had in a while," he whispered, turning over onto his back, hands behind his head.

"Should we wake him?", she looked over at Bucky.

"Not yet, he doesn't sleep in often. Usually does the morning paper runs around the neighborhood before first light and then goes back to sleep until he goes to the art shop."

Christiane carefully got up quietly, Bucky watching her as she padded on the wooden floorboards with her socks. He smiled, watching he hunched over, carefully tip-toeing around the living room to Steve. She grabbed a blanket from the sofa, putting it on Steve as he curled up tighter.

Looking up at Bucky, she padded next to the living room table, taking the wooden-carved bear into her hands and quietly tip-toed to her room, placing it on her bedside table next to the framed photograph of her family. Her fingertips carefully picked it up, brushing her thumb over the dust that had collected on the glass.

"Can I come in?", a whisper came from the door.

She turned around nodding quietly, sitting at the edge of her bed as Bucky joined her.

"Is that your parents?", he asked through a whisper again.

Her finger pointed to the tall man with a moustache, "That's my papa, Eduard", she pointed to an old lady beside him, "That's my _baba_ ".

"What's a _baba_?", he looked back.

"It means grandmother in Russian. She was from Leningrad, met my _Papi_ Gérard-Marceau (Grandpa Gérard-Marceau) studying in Paris when _baba_ was living in Paris with her family who worked for the embassy." She looked at Bucky, smiling to herself, "Their relationship was such a scandal, with _baba_ 's family wanting her to marry a Russian. Papi Gérard-Marceau did anything he could to try and convince her parents he was the right man for her, but he would sneak her out at night so they could spend time together. _Baba_ used to tell us about the times he would take her to the Parisienne bars, back in the day of the _Belle Époque_ , and they would stroll arm in arm by the Seine, over the bridges and by the Eiffel Tower. Finally, in the end, her parents agreed and they got married and moved to Champagne and lived off the land, happily making champagne." She giggled softly at the memory of her countryside home.

"What was her name?", he whispered.

"Anya Ivanovich-Bougourd"

"Anya's namesake?"

She nodded, before continuing to point to the woman beside her father, "That's my maman, Maria. She's from the Alps but really her family came from Norway."

"How'd they end up in France?", Bucky tilted his head to the side.

"Maman said her father, Kristian, came from the north and was a sailor. He sailed to France with the navy and decided to explore more of the country so he went to the mountains and fell in love with _mémé_ Delphine (Grandma Delphine)."

She looked over at him pausing, taking a breath, "I never met any of my grandfathers but apparently Anya got _Papi_ Kristian's eyes and maman's eyes too."

Bucky leaned in closer, looking intently at her, "And what about you?"

"Maman said a mix of everything," she smiled to herself before turning back to the photograph.

"That's Anya," he pointed to a small toddler in a dress with boots, holding onto her father's hand. "And I'm guessing that's you?" he leaned in closer pointing to the photograph to see another toddler smiling brilliantly, hair down in curls like she'd just gone running in the forest, dressed in a dress and boots with dirt on it, hugging onto the neck of a big German Shepard dog, a ribbon around it, with a Beauceron dog on Christiane's the other side.

"How did you know?", she looked to him. "Anya's a bit taller than you here, but what gives you away is the fact you stand out from everyone else."

"I remember," she chuckled, "I had taken _Pamplemousse_ (Grapefruit) and Ulysses for a run through the horses' yard behind. My mother called out my name from the house to come for the photograph. She was hysterical when she saw I had tied the ribbon from my hair to _Pamplemousse_ 's neck, my face smudged with mud and boots all dirty. In the end, they all said it made the photo what it was - _baba_ with her apron always on from her cooking, Papa with his iconic mustache, Maman always keeping a hand on both Anya and me, Anya being the grown-up."

Bucky continued, smiling as his nose crinkled, "And you being the stubborn one always finding something to do."

Christiane turned over the frame, sliding the photograph out of its sleeve to see the writing behind:  
 _"1924, La Famille Bougourd:_ _Anya Ivanovich-Bougourd,_ _Eduard Bougourd,_ _Maria Andersen-Bougourd,_ _Geneviève Anya Bougourd,_ _Christiane Gérard Bougourd,_ _Pamplemousse,_ _Ulysses"_

She sighed, putting the photograph back into its frame, "This was taken a year before Papa passed."

"What happened?", his voice going quiet, a fainter whisper.

"Car accident over a bridge."

He took her hand into his, holding it closely, "I'm sorry."

"It's the past, we all need to move on.", she looked down, whispering as she put the photograph back on her bedside table.

There was a silence, before Bucky whispered back to her, "My parents and sisters passed a few years ago from a car accident also, the same year Steve's folks passed."

She looked up to him, searching in his eyes before putting her head on his shoulder, "I'm sorry, Bucky."

He put his arm around her, reaching to her head, stroking her hair soothingly as he kissed the top of her head.

They sat like that for a few minutes, taking in each other's presence before a rustle from the other room and footsteps came. "Mornin'", Steve yawned as he stretched. He looked at them, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, "How long was I out for?"

"Well after the vodka…" Christiane raised her eyebrows,

"…and the park bench you set on fire last night!" Bucky continued trying to contain his laughter.

Steve's eyes widened, as he began to run his fingers through his hair, "That can't be possible…"

"We're kidding, pal!" Bucky erupted into a fit of laughter, walking over to Steve giving him a slap on the back.

Steve could only smile, rolling his eyes before shaking his head, "You two, honestly."

Christiane got up towards to two, "Come on, let's get some breakfast."

"And afterwards we'll go outside in the snow" Bucky smiled, anticipating Christiane's reaction.

She ran over to the window, looking over as her face brightened up, turning around nodding quickly, a giant smile on her face.

After breakfast, the three wrapped up warmly as they walked to a park, Christiane occasionally taking snowballs to throw at Steve and Bucky and vice-versa, with Christiane jumping into the snow to make snow angels before getting up and Bucky brushing any snow still stuck on her off. The air was crisp, fresh and light. She took in a deep breath, closing her eyes, letting it out as she tried to remember Christmas with snow back in France.

 _Anya and she would walk through the yard, jumping into the snow also and bringing their dogs that would run, kicking up flurries of white into the air before their mother would call them into the house to have a cup of hot chocolate by the fireplace._

Steve started shivering and sniffling, as Christiane put an arm around him, taking off her scarf to put on him. "We better get back inside, you're freezing Steve!" Christiane looked at him concerningly.

"I'm alright, you two go ahead, I'll go back to the apartment. See you there?", Steve turned around.

Bucky and Christiane waved to him as he walked back. The two walked further into the park, looking at children playing together in the snow.

"Well that's a shame, I wanted to take you two for ice cream?"

"In the middle of winter, Bucky!" Christiane looked at him in shock, eyes wide.

Grinning a cheeky smile as he put an arm around her as they continued to walk, "Why not! It melts quickly in the summer, so why not have it now when it won't melt at all?"

"You're crazy, you know, that right? It's freezing and you want to have an ice cream. You'll catch a cold! None of the ice cream parlors are open anyways today either."

"That's true," he pouted, before pulling her to sit on a bench as they looked out to a snow-fight between children. Bucky pulled her in closer, making sure she was warm as possible.

They sat there, watching the light cast through the trees overhead onto the snow, children laughing together as they threw snowballs at each other, parents watching their children as they were deep in conversation.

For a while, it was silence with just the few giggles and laughs from the snowball-fight.

"Do you think we'll ever get there?", Bucky asked quietly.

"Get where?" Christiane turned to look at him.

He looked towards the children playing together.

"Bucky, we've only known each other…"

"Five months, I know, and we've only been going steady for about a month."

"Isn't it peculiar to you that we may have gotten into this too quickly? What will other people think?"

"I don't care what other people think, and some people might say it's odd but I don't think so. There's nobody around to judge us. The first moment I saw you, I knew there was something about it and I wanted to get to know you better. These five months that have passed, and we've spent every day together and each day passing by, I want to be even closer."

"I feel that way too."

"My ma used to talk about how you fall for someone at first sight, how it hits you in the face and you feel like you're flying ten thousand feet in the air. I felt that the moment I saw you.", he took her hands in his, "Not because of your looks, doll, believe me you are the most beautiful woman I've ever met, but because you were so kind, gentle and curious about everything around you. You stood up for Steve God knows how many times, been through hell and back and yet you're standing here still smiling and laughing. I don't know how you do it."

Christiane looked out to the open, letting out a silent chuckle that cast an icy mist from her breath, before looking back at him.

"We were never going to be a traditional couple, let's just admit that."

"Then we write our own rules, we make our own paths." He took her hands in his again, squeezing them tightly, "We'll do it together."

"Bucky..", she looked at him, feeling as if everything went silent around them as a brush of cold wind stung her cheeks. "I don't know how this all works. I've..", she hesitated ducking her head down, "never felt this way before about anyone. This is all new to me."

He brushed aside a stray hair from her face, tucking it behind her ears. His fingers brushed down to her chin, lifting up her face to look at him. Her eyes shone brightly, the blue icy, the golden tint seeming to deepen endlessly.

"This is all new to me too, but to make this official," he turned to the open, pulling her in closer to him before turning to look at her with a toothy grin, "I've got to take you on a date, doll!"

Christiane returned a smile, " _Parfait_ (perfect)", leaning her head onto his shoulders as they watched to the open.

* * *

 **New Years Eve**

"Bucky come on! We'll be late!", Christiane tried to put on her earrings from the bathroom as Steve and Bucky were in the living room.

Steve adjusted Bucky's neck-tie, looking over his shoulder before re-doing the knot.

"And you thought you'd be the one early, pal." Steve laughed, shaking his head as he straightened it to Bucky's collar.

"Punk." He gave Steve a little push on his shoulders.

"Well, what do you think?", Christiane smiled, purse attached to her wrist, lipstick on, her hair in curls and a deep lapis blue dress with heels.

Bucky looked at her in awe, "You...you um...", before Steve gave him a shove. Bucky cleated his throat, "Ahem, you look beautiful."

Christiane walked up to Bucky, putting her arm through his.

"You two look very dashing.", Steve smiled, picking up a mug of hot chocolate Christiane had made earlier.

"Come on! _On y va!_ (Let's go!) _"_ Christiane took Bucky to the door. "Steve, are you sure you don't want to come?"

"No no! It's your night, and I'd rather stay home reading if that's alright with you. Plus Buck said he wanted to swing in the new year with you," he added, glancing up with a smirk to Bucky.

"Of course! See you later", Christiane hugged Steve before walking out the door. Bucky saluting to Steve on his way out.

The two walked over to the subway station, arm in arm, the sound of Christiane's heels echoing through the streets mixed with singing, music from open windows and tires crunching on the icy roads.

"So what shall we do tonight, _Monsieur_?" Christiane skipped forwards, turning around to face Bucky.

"How about a dance?" he took her hand, twirling her around.

"You're not afraid I'll step on your toes?" a small grin appeared on her lips.

"Never!," he looked at her gallantly, kissing her hand gently.

They walked together hand-in-hand to the garage where the Savini's invited them to their apartment party at their apartment above. Christiane and the other boys had been invited to Lorenzo's house. By the time they arrived, the party was in full swing, drinks in hand and the record player playing loudly.

" _Cristiana! James! Sei qui! Lorenzo vieni a prendere i loro cappotti!_ (Christiane! James! You're here! Lorenzo come get their coats!)", Gloria opened the door, hugging the both of them tightly before shouting over the music to her husband.

Lorenzo shouted from the other room, " _Lo farò! Dammi un minuto!_ (I will! Give me a minute!)"

Gloria shook her head, pressing her fingers to the bridge of her nose before mumbling to herself, " _Perché devo fare tutto…_ (Why do I have to do everything…)" Before she looked back up, "Come come, there's drinks and food on the table. Make yourselves comfortable!", turning into the living room where the dining table was pushed to one side and the center of the room was a make-shift dance floor.

Christiane waved to the others, taking a round to introduce Bucky to the boys and their dates before settling down in the corner watching them dance.

Gloria suddenly appeared clapping and dancing as a cheery Italian song started playing, before making it for Bucky and taking him by the arms to dance with her.

"James! Dance with me!", before winking at Christiane, turning back to Bucky to look him up, "Dear boy, you're tall!"

Following suite shortly was Lorenzo who took Christiane's hand to dance.

 _Mamma, son tanto felice_

 _perché ritorno da te_

 _La mia canzone ti dice_

 _ch'è il più bel giorno per me_

Bucky twirled Gloria as she laughed hysterically, struggling to hold her hands up high to Bucky's height before he held her to dance across the room to Christiane and Lorenzo doing a sort of foxtrot.

Gloria leaned back to Lorenzo behind her, "Let's let these two dance, shall we?"

" _Ma!_ (But!)" Lorenzo protested.

"Lorenzo!", she gave him a quick kiss before dropping Bucky mid-dance and walking to the record player and her friends.

Lorenzo patted Bucky's arm, giving a quick nod to him before following his wife.

Christiane stood there smiling to herself, the two of them reminding her of the stories her _baba_ would tell her about her parents.

"Christiane?" Bucky approached her, extending his hand out.

"Hmm?", snapping out of her thoughts.

"I did tell you we'd dance tonight."

"Yes you did," she said cheekily, taking his hand as he dipped her first before pulling her in close to him, the song coming to an end.

For a moment, they held each other in silence before the record player scratched to play a new song.

 _Do I want to be with you?_

 _As the years come and go?_

 _Only forever,_

 _If you care to know_

She laid her head on his shoulder, taking in the smell of the cologne he put on before closing her eyes as they swayed together.

 _Do you think I'll remember?_

 _How you looked when you smile?_

 _Only forever_

 _That's puttin' it mild_

Bucky held her by the waist, before leading her to take a twirl and back towards him. Cheek to cheek.

 _Would I grant all your wishes?_

 _And be proud of the task?_

 _Only forever_

 _If someone should ask_

"Did I tell you that you look beautiful tonight?", Bucky whispered to her ear.

"I don't believe you did.", Christiane replied as she felt her cheeks blush.

 _How long would it take me?_

 _To be near if you beckoned?_

 _Off-hand I would figure_

 _Less than a second_

" _Tu es la plus belle ce soir_ (You are the most beautiful one tonight)", he whispered back.

 _"_ _Tu es le plus beau aussi, tu sais?_ (You are the handsomest also, you know that?)

 _Do you think I'll remember_

 _How you looked when you smile?_

 _Only forever_

 _That's puttin' it mild_

"I don't know what you just said, doll", he chuckled.

"That you're very handsome tonight.", she whispered back to him.

This time, it was Bucky's turn to blush. He could feel his cheeks burning as his grip tightened around her to twirl her again to the ending of the song.

Around them, Gloria and Lorenzo clapped with the others cheering and whistling behind.

Bucky and Christiane startled looked around them, only to realize they were the only ones dancing to that song. The both of them looked down smiling, hiding the shyness of their newly-found relationship.

"It's almost midnight, we should get to the rooftop for the fireworks!" Lorenzo exclaimed going quickly to the front door of the apartment.

Already at the door, they could hear people from the floors below rushing upstairs shoving their way past them as each apartment's party fought to get the best views up top.

In that second as Christiane stepped to the moving crowd in the staircase, she halted. Her mind wanted her to move, but she couldn't as she felt the coldness seep through her skin. The flashes rushed to her as if she was back in Paris.

 _Christiane stood by the staircase, looking as the soldiers ran past her, shouting orders. Her feet froze to the ground, a hand in her jacket crumpling up a piece of paper that an agent had passed on to her from the Marais Resistance cell to deliver to the Saint-Germain/Luxembourg Resistance cell where Anya waited for her. She tightened her arm around the package she held, concealed in a bag of bread. The sounds of their boots stomping on the granite floor, the sound of metal clanking against each other, the sight of tailored dark green uniforms running past her._

 _Her heart thumped, as if trying to find a way to escape her body. From above, she could hear a scream of a woman and the shouting of a young boy as a door was kicked in._

"Christiane!", a voice came from far away.

"Christiane!", the voice in front of her, shaking her.

Suddenly, arms were around her as she realized she was on the ground in the doorway of the Savini's apartment.

"Christiane, are you okay?", Bucky held her tightly in his arms, his eyes filled with concern, shock and worry.

"I…", she hesitated, her eyes blinking hot tears. "I was there."

"Where? What happened?", smoothing her hair out, his embrace tighter.

"In Paris..in May", her words lost, her eyes searching, "I can't be here, it's just like when they came," her eyes turning to Bucky in desperation. "Bucky, I can't be here."

"Okay, okay. Where do you want to go?", he held her by her cheeks softly, stroking with his thumbs brushing away the tears.

Christiane tried to process the shock, the crowd around them clearing as they were the ones alone in the hallway. The tears coming back again.

"Take me home, please. Take me home Bucky.", her voice quiet as she tried to keep back a sob.

He could only hold her tightly, kissing the top of her head softly before bringing her to her feet as he went to get their coats, taking her hand down the staircase outside.

His arm wrapped around her, her head against his shoulder as she bit her lip to stop the sobbing. They walked out into the cold Brooklyn night, a new year sounded as fireworks lit up above them.

By the time they got home, Steve sat in the armchair in the corner reading, watching the two of them walk in quietly. Bucky took her to bed, tucking her in and kissing her on her forehead before closing the door to her room.

He looked on to her, eyes already closed, her lips parted slightly.

Steve looked up to Bucky, settling into the sofa, throwing a blanket over at Steve.

"How was it?", Steve asked.

"It was nice, but something spooked her when everyone started running up the stairs for the fireworks.", he replied, a look of worry still on his face.

"Anya did mention something, when we were at the beach," Steve pondered, his brows furrowing to remember. "Chrissy almost got caught sneaking a message for the Resistance. She was a courier."

"I remember Christiane telling me that also, and that her friends were taken away for creating fake papers."

"Anya told me; the reason why she didn't get caught that day was because she disguised herself as a boy delivering bread to the apartment."

"She didn't tell me that...", Bucky whispered, his eyes to the ground as he ran his fingers through his hair.

"It's better to leave it at that, pal." Steve sighed.

Bucky stood up, walking quietly to Christiane's room to check on her, "I won't let them come for you", whispering almost to himself.

Steve looked to his friend, seeing his eyes filled with love, concern and worry. His hands shakily running through his hair, his breath heavy as he sighed, looking at the girl sleeping.

* * *

 **1938**

Anya looked over at her little sister bundled up in the bed beside her. She closed her eyes, holding tightly onto the bag she hid under her duvet from her grandmother. She held onto the piece of memory she had from her numerous visits to Asgard, concentrating on the tree in the courtyard.

She felt herself float in her dreams, her eyes opening again to reveal a stream of rainbow shower in front of her, fading away, showing Loki standing against the tree, waiting for her.

"You came," she smiled, walking towards him under the shade of the tree.

"Of course," he returned the smile back.

"It's been so long, how have you been?" she looked up to him.

"This and that, Thor being a pain in the back as always, Father once again turning a blind-eye to me.", he replied rolling his eyes sarcastically.

"They are your family, Loki.", she touched him on his arm.

He looked at her puzzled, before taking her hand into his.

"Come, my mother awaits us. She'll be delighted to see you again.", he brushed his hand on her cheek before taking her hand to lead her.

"Wait!", Anya pulled him.

"What is it?", his voice gentle.

"I have something for you.", she pulled him closer, taking the bag and opening it.

Loki pulled out a tiny copper wolf on a piece of green ribbon. He took it in his palm, looking at it in awe before looking to Anya.

Anya shyly put her hands behind her back, her cheeks rosy, "I found it at the Christmas market earlier today with Christiane. I thought you'd like it."

"You know I don't care for these mundane occasions.", he hesitated, seeing Anya's eyes drop to the floor, "But I like it."

He lifted her chin to look at him, "Thank you."


	8. Chapter 8

**1938**

Loki fidgeted at the table, poking the vegetables on his plate and looking to the window that overlooked the city.

"Loki", his mother, Frigga, warned him, peering at him.

"Yes mother," his eyes still on the window.

"Eyes towards me," she set her cutlery down.

Loki turned to look at his mother, her smile resembling as if she knew something.

"You've barely eaten anything!", she took a sip from the goblet.

"I'm not so hungry," he muttered.

"Are you meeting someone?", she pressed him, her eyes focused on him.

Loki shyly turned his face down, twiddling his thumbs, showing the faces of his palms.

"Loki," his mother's voice rose, "Is it a girl?"

He suddenly lifted his head, eyes wide, "Mother!"

"It is!", Frigga laughed, clasping her hands together. "It's Vili's descendant isn't it?"

Loki nodded, trying to hide the shy smile on his face, his heart quickening at the thought of the girl.

"Geneviève?"

"She likes to be called Anya."

"It's a very pretty name.", her eyes soft on her son.

With hesitation Loki stammered, "Can I...go?"

Frigga set her napkin down, "Oh goodness, of course you can!"

His legs went first before his body as he sped to run to the stairs to the front door of the palace.

"Not so fast, Loki! Only if I get to meet her finally." Frigga caught his arm just as he tried to run past her.

"Fine, mother. But will father say?", Loki rolled his eyes. His mother rested a hand on his face.

"Are you happy?"

He nodded again. Frigga could see her son change over time, a twinkle in his eyes.

"Then father doesn't need to know. Unless the two of you are getting married anytime soon!"

"Mother!" Loki stepped back, bewildered before he started laughing.

"Loki, my dear. I only wish you to be happy."

He hugged her tightly, "Go, she must be waiting for you in the courtyard."

He ran down the staircase, hallway looking up to Frigga.

"I'll come see you soon. Now go!", she encouraged him as he ran past the guards into the city.

Anya was already sitting under the tree, looking out to the rest of the city, people going about their day.

"Anya!", Loki ran up to her, breathless.

"You knew I'd come!", she got up, her eyes bright.

"You're very predictable, always sleeping at the same time and falling back to Asgard," he cheekily smirked.

"So where to today?", she beamed, standing on her tiptoes and twirling on the spot.

"Well, mother wants to meet you. Father and Thor aren't in Asgard right now, so this might just be the best time."

"I was not prepared for this, Loki!", Anya protested.

"Come on," he took her arm through his, "It can't be so bad!"

"In Midgard, when someone meets a parent, it's a big matter!", she huffed.

"A big matter for what?" he asked, trying to press her with the question they had both been avoiding.

"It's...", her voice shaky.

"When will we ever admit we have a connection, Anya?" he halted, his face in the shadow. He looked at Anya, her eyes to the ground.

"Does it need to be justified?" she muttered.

"The words would help a lot.", he sighed.

Anya closed her eyes, mustering all the courage she could. Never in her life had she ever merely ever had feelings for another boy. The boys in Paris back in Midgard were flirtatious and fun to be around, but they were friends, nothing more.

She opened her eyes again, taking a deep breath, "Loki!" she shouted out.

Loki froze at the sudden raise of voice.

"I like you. There, I said it.", she huffed again before marching past him.

He turned to her, whispering, "I like you too.", before pulling her in closer to him.

Anya felt her cheeks prickle, blushing a rosy pink, her insides doing flips and turns.

Frigga could see them come up the palace steps from the window, keeping an eye on her son. Her fingers quickly went through the pages of a thick golden book, her hand resting on a page.

A picture drawn showed Anya in armor, fighting soldiers from Midgard. The caption underneath in Old Norse:

Geneviève Anya, daughter of Maria Andersen. Midgard year - 1944.

Seeing Loki almost glow with happiness, holding a girl beside him, his smile carefree. She wished it could only last forever. She wished, the fates had not permanently drawn Anya's future just yet.


	9. Chapter 9

**February 1941**

"Take the left," Peggy whispered to Anya before she ran across to the other wall.

"When you said we'd be storming a village in Italy, I didn't think they'd send only the two of us.", Anya hissed back.

Bullets flew past the two of them, their eyes following it's impact before looking back at each other.

"Bollocks," Peggy muttered, before clicking her gun. "This will be just like Bruges."

"Good Lord," Anya shook her head, clicking her gun also. She gripped its handle tightly. "On three - one, two, three."

The two of them sprung from behind the walls they were hiding, Peggy taking the shots above as Anya shot for the legs, quickly running towards them, ducking them out with a swing of a kick. The two cleared the room as they ran for the marbled stairs, Peggy running up as Anya covered for her - taking out three more.

"When did we set the timer again?" Peggy multitasked between reloading her cartridge.

"In about 15 seconds from now," Anya glanced at her watch.

"Are you sure Stark knows what he's doing with those timers?" Peggy muttered, her back against the door as she eyed the hallway on the opposite side of the room that was their escape route.

"Positive. I cross-checked then anyways." Anya locked a new cartridge into her gun.

"Did you tell base when to get us?" Peggy looked at Anya.

Without flinching, Anya banged the door against an intruder who flopped to the floor immediately with a loud thud.

"Relax Peggy! I've got this under control!"

"This won't be like..."

Before she could finish her sentence, there was a loud explosion that blasted half of the house part.

"Turin...", Peggy looked in awe before sprinting for down the other hallway.

Anya followed beside running, "Turin was an ambush!", she raised her eyebrows.

Peggy was already climbing down from the second-floor window, a fire raging on half the property, as she ran for the truck waiting - "What fun Turin was!"

"Run! Quickly!" the man cried out from the truck.

Anya dropped herself down, sprinting across the yard as her boots crunched under dry clay and pebbles. She tried to propel herself with each step. She could see Peggy's face turn to the house, her eyes suddenly wide and face white.

Anya could hear the whistle of the bullet coming from behind her, as if everything around her slowed down. She tried to reach her arms out to the outreached hand from the truck, barely grasping it.

The bullet came close as her bracelet suddenly became hot, a blue force projecting out as it deflected the bullet, one side throwing her into the truck, with another side suddenly opening like a slit in space as a hand pulled her into it.

Anya dropped on the floor of the truck, Peggy shaking her as she felt her eyes close where she was; her eyes opening to a figure standing over her.

"Anya!", Loki shook her as he held her hand. "Anya! Wake up!"

Her eyes brows furrowed, her face in confused, "Loki?"

She looked around, slowly getting up, "What am I doing here?"

"I thought it would hit you, I saved you."

"Peggy must be so worried," she replied, eyes almost in panic.

"Don't worry about her, I cast an illusion so that she thinks you're still there on the floor unconscious.", he waved his fingers, sitting on a step beneath the tree.

Anya stood, her eyes focused on Loki, "Thank you for saving me, but you need to send me home, Loki."

"But you could stay with me here."

"There is a war going on, and I have my sister back in Midgard. Loki, you know this." Her voice raising.

Loki shook his head, sarcasm in his voice, his smile mocking, "It's always about her isn't it? Your sweet little sister."

Anger coursed through Anya, her voice bitter, "Loki, how can you say it like that? You have a brother. You must understand how it is."

"I'm nothing here, Anya!", Loki shouted. His eyes still, watching her.

"You are loved, Loki," she whispered back.

"You," he pointed to her, "the person I need most won't even be by my side."

"I am always by your side.", she replied.

He shouted louder, "Then who is that man you've been seeing? I see you with him all the time!"

"Howard?" Her face screwed up in rage, "He's a scientist that I work with!"

"Oh really, is that all it is?"

"I'm not having this conversation with you like this, Loki. I appreciate you saving me, but I need to get home and if you won't send me back, then I'll go to Heimdall myself."

He screamed, "Go then! You are just like all the others of your species. Incompetent and unfaithful."

Anya turned on her heels as she sprinted to the Bifrost gate, hot tears coming from her eyes. By the time she arrived to the gate, Heimdall was already awaiting her, bringing her closely into a hug.

"Send me home, Heimdall." she sobbed.

He pulled away, his sturdy hands on her shoulders, "He is misunderstood. Give him time, little one."

Anya closed her eyes, before opening again to see Peggy and a nurse around her.

"Thank Heavens, I thought I had lost you!" Peggy hugged her tightly.

"What happened?", Peggy whispered to her ear, out of earshot from everyone else.

Anya looked down to her bracelet, the rune coin cracked in half on the floor.

"I saw him again," she whispered.

"Who? Who did you see?" Peggy sat down beside her in the corner, the rest of the soldiers in front of them as the truck jumped over uneven road.

"I saw him", she whispered.

"The peculiar boy who comes in your dreams and takes you with some rainbow light?" Peggy replied softly, putting an arm around Anya.

"You knew about the light?"

Peggy nodded, "I saw it one summer back in France when we were younger. You were asleep.", she shrugged. "What did he want?"

"He wanted me to stay with him there.", her voice quiet.

"And do you?"

"No, I've got people to protect here, I've got Christiane and you. He doesn't understand that, he's changed" pinching the bridge of her nose.

Peggy pulled her in tightly for a hug, "Are you going to be alright?"

"As right as rain," she smiled back.

That evening when they arrived back to base, Anya sat after dinner at the mess-hall table, a pen and paper in front of her.

 _Ma poulette,_

 _How are you? I hope you are well and healthy._

 _Everything's changed here - towns have been reduced to rubble, there's not enough food to go around, and the cows are everywhere._

 _I don't know how much longer I can do this, I'm ecstatic to return back to you soon._

 _Earlier today, I saw Loki again. A bullet was coming for me with maman's bracelet protecting me. Loki somehow pulled me to Asgard. We got in a fight as he wanted me to stay with him but I refused._

 _He's changed, his intentions now fueled to dominate. I suspect he is doing this out of fear, but I don't know from what or whom. It's been a year since I last saw him._

 _I've been thinking – we'll be staying in Brooklyn for a while now, maybe you'd want to make the apartment more of a home? Put up the photographs kept away, maybe a carpet? I've already told Howard to bring over the piano in his apartment. He says it's an inconvenience when he's walking around in the middle of the night to get a drink. God knows how that man works._

 _Loki thought I was going steady with him, but it's not that. Maybe I do have some feelings for Howard, he makes me feel like I can be myself and appreciates me for who I am._

 _When we were growing up, between Loki and me, it felt like it could go on forever but he's different now. He's filled with rage and jealousy, even over you. I never imagined he would be jealous over you. After those years we didn't see each other, and suddenly saving me out of the blue, I don't understand._

 _How is school? How is everything with you and Bucky? How are things at the garage? Say hello to Lorenzo for me._

 _Give my love to Steve and Bucky also._

 _Be nice to Howard when he delivers this to you._

 _I love you with all my heart,_

 _Anya_

* * *

Christiane wiped her oil-stained hands on a cloth. Walking over to Lorenzo's desk, she signed her name and time to end her shift for the evening.

"Grazie Cristiana! (Thank you Christiane!)" Lorenzo waved to her.

"Goodnight Lorenzo! See you on Monday!", she waved back, walking to the bathroom to change out of her jumpsuit.

Christiane adjusted the belt on her skirt, before stepping out to take her coat on the hanger.

"Ciao!", she waved to everyone.

The other men in the garage waved back, almost in unison, "Ciao Bella!"

She buttoned up her coat, stuffing her hands in her pockets as she walked down the street back home. It had become almost routine that on Mondays, Wednesday's and Friday's, Christiane would walk to the garage alone and back home. On Tuesday's and Thursday's however, Bucky was always waiting for her at the station to go home.

Her mind wandered to her homework for the evening: A chapter on Proust and Voltaire.

The sun had already set, casting a fight between the dark blue of rising night, and the fiery orange of the day's past. Her footsteps echoed on the pavement, her boots sturdy on the concrete.

She heard metal clanking and crashing in the alley in front of her.

By God if it wasn't Steve again, she hoped to herself as she ran to the alley, seeing Steve arms up in fists to a man. She pulled up her scarf up to her nose, making her unrecognizable to anyone who didn't know her.

The man went for a swerve of which Steve ducked, moving around him.

"Hey! Hands off!", Christiane shouted, her hands balled in fists as she ditched her bag on the side.

The man looked at her confused at first by her appearance, before slyly smiling, "Well hello there darlin', why are you hiding such a darlin' face like that."

Christiane pulled her arm back to punch him right in the face. She suspected his nose might have been broken judging from the crunch from the bridge of his nose.

"You bitch!", he hollered, grabbing onto his bloodied nose.

He tried to grab her as she dug her hand against his, twisting it and kicking him in the back, sending him running around the alley.

" _Vas te faire foutre, connard!"_ , she shouted after him.

Steve panted, blood seeping out from the corner of his lip as he looked up at her, "I had it under control, Chrissy."

Christiane pulled down the scarf, eyeing Steve, "Come on, let's get you patched up."

They turned the corner onto the Main Street, "You won't tell Bucky?" Steve asked.

"I won't need to tell Bucky, he'll already know!"

"You're not angry, are you?" Steve questioned.

She stopped, turning around to face him, concern over her face, "I'm not angry, Steve, but you've got to choose the right fights. You keep on getting into brawls in alleyways and if I've got to check in every single alley in Brooklyn to stop you then I will!"

Reaching into her bag, she brought out a handkerchief, blotting it on Steve's bleeding lip.

" _Merci_ ," he looked up, "You're one hell of a fighter," Steve chuckled.

"I've had a fair share of brawls myself when we lived in Paris," she chuckled back. They walked back in stride together.

"What happened?" Steve pressed the handkerchief to the wound.

"Just some disagreements, here and there. The boys in the area wouldn't let me play football with them, some boys going after Anya.", she shrugged.

"How is Anya? Haven't seen her in a while.", he asked.

"Just busy with work," Christiane tried averting the question.

"What does she do?" Steve questioned innocently.

"Analyzing things," she scratched her head, trying to think of a way to answer him honestly but without disclosing the truth.

Steve simply shrugged, before tucking the handkerchief into his pocket, "I'll wash this and give it to you later."

"Don't be silly! Give that to me, I'll wash it. While we're at it, I'll put some alcohol on that wound at home. Thankfully, you won't need stitches!" she fussed.

He looked down, hiding a smile before looking up, "Bucky's real lucky to have you, Chrissy. We're both lucky to have you."

Christiane looked up to the sky, smiling to herself, a breeze brushing stray strands from her tucked hair, "Can you imagine? Six months have passed."

He shook his head, smiling widely, "If it weren't for that darn map you were drawing on."


	10. Chapter 10

**March 1941**

She sat at the desk in the living room facing the window, overlooking towards the street. It was a cloudy Saturday morning as Christiane scratched her head, twiddling the pencil between her fingers. It was an English book for her English Literature class, A Midsummer Night's Dream by Shakespeare. Even though Christiane's English was near fluent, growing up with the Carter family during the summers and their mother teaching them at home after school through prononciations and spellings, she could never wrap her mind around Old English. She took notes from the play for her essay, switching between her dictionary to look up new and unknown words.

After the last scene was finished, Christiane looked out the window finally, stretching her arms in the air, taking a sip of her tea only to be interrupted by the low hum of a car's engine outside the building. The driver quickly got out rushing to open the door on the passenger side, another man with a faint mustache stepping out, waited on the street to look onto an approaching truck with Stark Industries written on the side. More men scrambled out, rolling down an up-right piano as they tactically pushed it on a make-shift ramp up the building's steps and disappeared.

She could hear the fumbling outside in the stairwell as she went to put the kettle on the stove again, before she looked out the window to see the truck driving away. Shortly, there was a knock on the door. She opened the door, looking at the man slightly shorter than her, at the same height as Anya.

"Mademoiselle Christiane, I don't believe we've ever met. I'm Howard Stark", he extended his hand out to hers to shake.

"Monsieur Stark, I've heard a great deal about you. It's good to finally put a face to the name." She was beaming to herself, finally, the famous Stark, Anya's topic of avoidance in conversations was standing at her door.

She moved her head to the side to get a better view behind him, "I see you brought a piano?"

"Please, just call me Howard." he put his hand curtly on his chest bowing a little with a smile before moving beside to show a taller man behind a piano. "This is Mr. Jarvis,"

The man curtly bowed his head, "Good day to you ma'am."

Howard continued, "Anya was telling me how you both used to play, and I had one lying around the apartment anyways and it got in the way so it's yours."

Christiane looked at him questioningly moving out of the way to let them in, "But where will it fit?"

"Don't worry about that, Jarvis will take care of it. He's a master at interior decoration." he waved his hand.

"Please take a seat. Would you like some tea?" she asked the both of them. "I've got Earl Grey and Ceylon only I'm afraid."

"Earl Grey would be nice please." Howard agreed, taking his jacket off, hanging it on the back of the chair.

"And you Mr. Jarvis?" she looked to him.

"Earl Grey would be lovely, thank you." he smiled back before rolling the piano by her as he got to moving the furniture around the living room.

Christiane put in a spoon of earl grey leaves into a teapot, setting it down on the table as she sat across Howard.

"So we finally meet," Christiane took a sip from her cup.

"Yes, I've heard a great deal about you too." he replied back.

"Is that so?"

"She's very proud of you, you know. It really tore her to have to leave you alone here. She made me promise to keep an eye out for you, make sure you were alright and safe. I've had Jarvis pass a few times with the car admittedly by the building."

"You've been watching me?"

"Just for your safety."

"Well now that we know each other, you could actually come by the door and have tea." She turned to Mr. Jarvis who had successfully put the piano just next to her desk where there was enough light from the window and was now tuning the piano.

"You too, Mr. Jarvis. I appreciate all that you've done, especially by Anya's word."

"Thank you ma'am."

"You can call me Christiane." she smiled back.

"So tell me," Howard sat back in his chair, a glint of amusement in his eyes, "Anya told me you have a fella? Need me to do any checks on him?"

She looked at him eyes wide, "Oh no no, he won't be needing any checks. Bucky's a sweet man."

"Bucky, huh? He as tall as you?" he chuckled.

"Just a little taller." she smiled to herself "Anya says she feels tiny beside the both of us."

"I can imagine, even I feel small beside you. Get the height from your parents?"

She nodded, "Papa was about 6 foot 2, abnormally tall for a Frenchman if you ask me but I suspect it's his half-Russian genes. Maman was about 5 foot 10, also abnormally tall for a Frenchwoman but I suspect it's from her Nordic genes."

"How'd you get so tall then and your big sister shorter than you?"

She smiled, shrugging, "I guess I ate all my vegetables while she fed hers to the dogs."

She turned to Mr. Jarvis who had commenced to play a chipper tune on the piano.

"Scott Joplin's The Entertainer?"

"Yes! It's quite delightful. Here," he moved to the side waving for her to come, "Come try."

She set her cup down, walking to the piano as she sat herself on the stool. It felt all too familiar to her, how just almost a year ago, she was playing piano in Paris at the bistro where Anya worked as a cook down the road before the invasion. She remembered the hours before the dinner service, the time between which Anya after her classes would wait outside school for Christiane in the Luxembourg district and walk together to the bistro. Christiane would sit in the corner doing her homework with sheets covering the wooden table as Anya would prepare the meals for the evening. When Christiane was done, she would go over to the upright piano in the corner by the bar, playing whatever sheets she could find that Thomas the bistro's pianist would stuff into the stool's compartment.

Her fingers played the first note on a key, slowly developing into a melody.

"Claire de Lune, a classic!" Mr. Jarvis clasp his hands together, smiling.

"It's been a while, I'm not so good at it anymore." she smiled to herself admitting defeat after hitting the wrong note.

"Come Mr. Jarvis, please sit, your tea's going to get cold!" she moved back to the table.

"Before I forget, I just got back from the London base, picked up a letter for you from Anya." he handed her an envelope.

"Thank you," she smiled, opening it instantly.

"You may as well write one now, I'll be flying back over to London next week. Your sister should have made it there by then. She and Peggy will be back by April I believe."

"Just give me a few minutes then!" she got up scurrying to the desk. Before she put pen to paper, she looked to the bookshelf, taking an album of photos of Anya and Christiane from their childhood, placing it beside Howard on the table.

"You may as well have a look while you're here."

Christiane took out the letter, taking it to the light at the desk, reading each word and letter of Anya's handwriting before replying back. All the while, hearing chuckled and "aw's" from Howard and Mr. Jarvis.

 _My dearest Anya,_

 _I hope that you and Peggy are safe and well. Winter is still chilling us to the bones here in Brooklyn, I hope it's not too bad wherever you are. Wrap up warmly, you know how cold it could get in the countryside in March._

 _The famous Howard Stark, after all this time. If you do have feelings for him, let me tell you he also has feelings for you too. I'm writing this letter as he is sitting in the living room sofa drinking tea and looking at the photographs from our childhood. Yes, I know, I'll pay for that when you return._

 _He's very polite and even brought a piano with Mr. Jarvis. They are both quite lovely._

 _If you truly have feelings for this man, then hold it dear to you. But remember Loki. He may have changed as you said, I never met the man, but from all the stories you have told me of your encounters, he seems fiercely protective of you, and in some way of his own, likes and maybe loves you. But you need to make the decision of where your heart lies. Howard is physically beside you here, and Loki is a jump through space and time into another realm._

 _If you don't want to see him, maybe at least send a letter to him through Heimdall. Or ask Heimdall for advice. He seems like a very wise person from what you told me and what maman used to tell us. From what you told me about your gift, of seeing your soulmate, and if it is truly Loki, there is nothing in this universe that can separate you two._

 _There is only so much I could advice you, I wish I could help more. But whatever it is, I will always support you, and if you need to punch anyone, you know you have me to do the job._

 _My only question is, how far along are your feelings for Howard compared to Loki? It's not healthy to be caught up in this love triangle, Anya. To love someone is both a beautiful and dangerous thing, if your feelings are not fully-directed to one person._

 _Have you asked Peggy for advice?_

 _In my honest opinion, because I know you will ask me and god forbid how long this letter may take to get to you wherever you are, but I worry about the rumors of Howard being a womanizer before he met you, and whether this is just a phase?_

 _As for Loki, it's not right what he said, but alas is the distance between you and him, it's difficult. There's a literal whole universe between you two. That does not give him any excuse to be jealous of you being with me as your sister._

 _Perhaps Loki is going through some troubles of his own, but concealing it inside. Maybe he doesn't know how to express it?_

 _Whatever it is, I know you will find the way._

 _As for Bucky and Steve - I'm forcing Steve to eat all his vegetables, he's stubborn about that. He got into a fight with someone and cut his lip open, but I fought the bully away. Honestly that boy is going to give me a heart attack one day. He's still working at the arts and crafts store. I think it's good for him, he has a talent in painting and drawing._

 _As for Bucky, he's still the sweetheart that he is. He's working at the harbor now, but still manages to make it in time to get me at the station as always. I don't know how he does it. I really hope he's not sprinting through the streets of Brooklyn just for that. But I do admit, he does sweep me off my feet, he's quite the looker and has got the charms. I think maman and Baba would've liked him very much._

 _Even though it's only been four months so far, it feels like it's been eternity. Maybe this is what maman talked about, love being a magical thing that seems to go by so quickly or for eternity all at the same time. How your heart quickens seeing that person, the first thing you want to do is know about their day, and how they are. He's already talked about the future, about us, is it too soon? What do you think?_

 _I'm just curious, how did you know since the day you met him, that we'd end up together?_

 _Give my love to Peggy. I cannot wait to see you soon. I'll be waiting by the docks._

 _I love you with all my heart,_

 _Your poulette, Christiane_

By 10 in the morning, Howard and Mr. Jarvis had already left, bidding to return with Anya's letter if she didn't come back to deliver it herself by then. As per usual at 10:30 on a Saturday, there was a knock on the door as Bucky brought whatever Steve and him had left in their fridge over to cook together. Steve came around 12 after he finished his morning shift at the shop.

"Aren't you looking chipper, doll." Bucky leaned in for a quick kiss on her cheek.

"Hello to you too," she smiled.

He walked into the house, hanging his jacket on the hanger, adjusting his suspenders on his shoulders. He put the basket of ingredients for lunch on the table, taking each item out.

"How's studying for your exams going?"

"I think it will turn out well, though I'm a little worried about Mathematics."

"You'll do great doll," he walked over to her, "You'll ace all your exams." Bucky beamed to himself, suddenly looking around him.

"You've moved the furniture around."

"Just here and there," she shrugged.

"There's a piano in the corner." he looked at her, scratching his head.

Christiane shrugged, as she tried to walk past him only to pull her by the arm to the piano.

"Bucky!"

"Hold on, doll, you've got to teach me!"

"Okay okay, bring up a chair, will you?"

He pulled the chair from the desk, sitting beside her intently as he watched her.

"Ma used to play the piano, she taught Rebecca how to play but I was too stubborn to learn back then. I only wish I had done it then."

She put a hand on his cheek, brushing her thumb over the light stubble before taking his right hand on the piano.

"Copy me okay?"

She played one key at a time, with Bucky following at a higher octave until he got the hang of it.

"Good! Now do it by yourself." she moved to stand as he sat on the stool. Her hands rested on his shoulders, humming along to what he played.

"What's the song called?"

"Au Claire de la Lune, it's a children's song that my parents used to sing to us to sleep."

"Can you sing it?" he asked, smiling cheekily.

She rolled her eyes before sitting beside him, "Okay, when you're ready."

Christiane softly sang the song:

 _Au clair de la lune_

 _Trois petits lapins_

 _Qui mangeaient des prunes_

 _Comme des petits coquins_

 _La pipe à la bouche_

 _Le verre à la main_

 _En disant : « Mesdames,_

 _Servez-nous du vin,_

 _Tout plein, jusqu'à demain matin!_

Bucky smiled in triumph, putting his head on her shoulders.

"Can you play something?" he smiled to her.

"Move over," she scooted him over as he switched back to the chair.

She tried to focus on the notes of Claire du Lune, trying to remember each crescendo and note. After the first few bars, muscle memory took her as she moved with the song. Bucky looked at her, his eyes full of admiration, smiling to himself as he tucked her chin under his hand, his arm rested on the edge of the piano.

He made himself to remember that moment, the way she smiled to herself while playing, the way the sun cast a soft light through the window onto her skin, her dark brown hair. He tried to remember the song, played for the first time after so long. He tried to remember her as she looked to him when she finished, smiling to him with a twinkle in her eyes, so bright against the light. The way she reached up to his tousled hair to brush a stray hair out of his eyes. He made sure to remember it forever.


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note:**

 _Petit malin_ in French is like a nickname for a clever and crafty person.

On another note, would love to hear your feedback and reviews or questions! It may seem like this story so far is all Bucky and Christiane fluff but we'll get to the fork in the road soon. Just trying to go along the timeline, but I'm really excited to share with you what will happen in the next following chapters. Stay tuned and thank you for reading/following!

Kiara

* * *

 **April 1941**

Bucky tore through his closet while Steve sat and watched him.

"We're going to be late you know," he chimed.

"You're a punk, you know that right?", Bucky sighed before ruffling through a drawer.

He tried to find the blue neck tie his mother had given him years ago, running his fingers through his groomed hair, ruffling it. "I can't find it!" he exclaimed before looking to Steve.

"You're hopeless." Steve shrugged towards him, getting on the floor beside him as he pulled out a box from the bottom of the closet.

"I swear I didn't put it in there." he looked at the box defeated and puzzled.

"Neck-ties are in here, and were always in here, Buck." Steve handed it to him.

"What would I do without you?", he grinned to Steve.

"Probably still be running after Chrissy and never confess your feelings to her." he sat back at the foot of the bed.

"About that...", Bucky hesitated, turning round to the mirror to do up his tie.

"It was clear as day, you liked her since we met her at the diner!" Steve got up, starting to pace the room. "Don't you tell me you stopped having feelings for her, Buck or I'm going to..."

"Steve!" Bucky exclaimed, a goofy smile on his face. "I think I love her."

Steve stared back at him, eyes wide and frozen.

"Steve? Hello?" Bucky waved his hand in front of him.

He suddenly came to his senses, color rushing back into his face and his smile growing, "Buck, I think that's wonderful! Have you told her yet?"

"I don't know how," he looked to his feet.

"Can't be that hard right? Just say the words?" he waved his arms in the air.

"Look at you, Steve Rogers giving me girl advice." he chuckled, putting a hand on Steve's back as they walked to the front door.

Steve shook his head chuckling, "She's special, and I truly think she's the one for you."

They walked down the stairs onto the road towards Christiane's apartment.

"What makes you say that?"

He hesitated, trying to put thoughts to words, "She makes you incredibly happy, I've never seen you like this before Buck and I've known you for a lifetime. Somehow after what happened," Steve hesitated again, "with your ma, pa and Rebecca, it was like something was missing and suddenly when you met Chrissy and got to know her, it was like that part which went missing was back in place. Your relationship is nothing to ordinary, some might argue you got in it too fast, but from my point of view, she's the one. All the other girls, Bonnie and Veronica, they're nothing like Chrissy. She's kind, loving, fierce, and she can take care of herself. She liked you from the first time she met us too. She's never been in a relationship before with anyone, and she's scared but she'll do anything for the ones she loves."

"How do you know all this?" Bucky looked to him eyebrows raised.

"Anya told me at the beach. She was rooting for you guys, and Anya really likes you around Chrissy. She said it makes Chrissy happy, like she came back to life after their ma passed away."

"Do you think she loves me back?"

"The world would be nuts if she didn't love you back! You went to wait for her at the station every day without even knowing yourself what you were doing in the first place! Remember that? I'm sure she loves you back!"

"It seems like a lifetime ago, but now that I look back on it, I felt like I needed to protect her, to look after her and make sure she was safe and alright."

"If it hadn't been for that darn map she was drawing on."

They stopped in front of Christiane's apartment as she stepped outside in a light yellow dress, skipping down the stairs. Her hair was down, swaying in the light breeze.

"Good morning!" she quickly hugged Steve and Bucky.

"Morning to you too," Bucky replied back, he felt like he was going to melt.

"What's up with him?", Christiane looked to Steve.

"The usual," Steve shrugged. "Let's go get you graduated, you're going to be late!"

Christiane looped her arm in Steve's as they walked to the station, leaving Bucky suddenly out of his daze jogging behind.

"That's my girl, Steve!" he called out, a bright smile on his face.

* * *

Howard sped through the streets of Manhattan, Anya quickly changing in the back out of her SSR uniform.

"Peggy's going to kill me if we don't get you here on time..." Howard muttered.

"What time is it?", Anya shouted out.

"Three minutes past nine! Are you sure you don't want to come dancing with me? We'll both be disguised, it'll be fun!", Howard swerved a corner, sending a flock of pigeons flying as he halted in front of the Lycée Français de New York.

"I swear Howard if this is another of your tricks to get me to spy on someone while they're out dancing, you'll hear it from me!" Anya raised her voice, glaring at him through the mirror.

Howard froze eyes wide, quickly shaking his head "Never mind! I'll do it alone! Go go! Give my congratulations to Christiane!"

Anya stood outside, saluting to him with a giant grin before running up the stairs.

Christiane was the last one to cross the stage of her finishing class. All her classmates were gathered with their families waiting for her to cross, before celebrations could ensue.

" _Félicitations à Mademoiselle Christiane Gérard Bougourd!_ " (Congratulations to Miss Christiane Gerard Bougourd!)

Christiane stood at the steps of the stage, walking up to cross and receive her certificate. She stood at the top smiling, looking at the small crowd in front of her, smiling as she saw Steve and Bucky to the side. Just as she was going to turn to walk off, the back door swung open as a click of heels stopped.

Christiane's eyes grew wide, her smile turning into disbelief as she ran down the stairs past everyone.

"Anya!" Christiane jumped on her, hugging her tightly. " _T'as venu!_ (You came!)"

Anya held her tightly, "I wouldn't have missed it for the world."

Steve and Bucky walked to them, engulfing the both of them in a giant hug.

Anya turned out to the two boys, hugging the both of them individually.

"Steve! It's so good to see you!" she fiercely hugged him.

"Bucky! You better have taken good care of my little one." hugging him tightly.

"Believe me Anya, they rarely spend a minute apart from each other!" Steve replied.

Her eyebrows raised with a look of amusement, as she glanced at both Christiane and Bucky, "Oh? Is that so?"

Bucky's cheeks flushed, looking down to the ground, "I um...we um...nothing's uhh.."

Anya put her hand on Bucky's cheek, bringing him to look at her, "Relax! I trust you. And thank you." she looked at him sincerely.

Bucky could only smile to himself shyly, before going back to Christiane's side and putting his arm around her.

She looked up at him, showing her certificate to him enthusiastically as he smiled back at her.

Anya leaned in to Steve whispering, "Still going strong?"

Steve nodded, smiling at the two of them, "Nothing could get between them."

"I believe that, she seems so much happier around him."

"He does too." he sighed, smiling.

Christiane pulled Bucky with her, skipping to Anya, "Bucky and I were thinking we could all go to the diner back home together!" she beamed.

"Lead the way," Anya followed behind. She leaned in to Steve walking beside her, "They do this often?"

"Go to the diner?" Steve leaned back.

"No! I meant just the two of them!" Anya chuckled.

"They like to go for walks together in the park. He keeps waiting for her after work or by the station, and we come by every evening to have dinner together," He smiled back.

"I'm so happy she has the two of you when I can't be here" she sighed.

"Work taking you places?" Steve looked at her.

Anya waved her hand in the air, dismissing the issue, "They've got me traveling around the country."

Steve looked at her questioningly, "I never knew what you actually worked…" before being interrupted by Bucky coming up to Anya.

"Just for safe measures, can I take her dancing this evening? I promise I'll bring her home by ten" he looked at her almost pleading.

"Of course! It better be nine, I've been meaning to go watch That Night in Rio with her, " Anya smiled, winking to Christiane watching behind.

* * *

"I can't find anything to wear!" Christiane huffed, tearing through her closet.

"You have plenty to wear," Anya replied, rolling her eyes as she watched her sister make a mess.

"But I've never been dancing properly here, what do they even wear to those dance halls?"

" _Des vêtements, n'est pas?_ (Clothes, right?)" her tone sarcastic.

Christiane turned around, holding up a red dress, " _Qu'est ce-que t'en pense?_ (What do you think?)"

Anya's eyes widened, smiling and nodding at the same time, " _Alors ça,_ (Now this)" as she whistled out.

"Anya!" Christiane swatted at her sister.

"It would look beautiful on you, poulette!", Anya beamed as her head turned to the door knocking out front. "That must be him, finish dressing up. I'll get Bucky some coffee in the meantime."

She quickly gave a kiss on Christiane's cheek before closing the door behind her.

By the time Christiane buttoned up, put her hair up and smoothed her dress out, she looked at herself in the mirror, twirling around. Anya knocked on the door, poking her head in.

" _Mon dieu!_ (my god!)"

" _C'est pas trop?_ (It's not too much?)"

She went to stand behind her sister, resting her chin on her shoulder and hugging her. " _Tu es parfaite_ (you're perfect)"

The two of them looked up as they saw Bucky move to the door frame, frozen. Anya tugged her sister by her hand up to him. "What do you think, hmm?"

Bucky was at a lost of words, stuttering and blushing, "You're…umm..pardon me..you're..". He took a deep breath, taking her hands into his, "You're beautiful," he whispered, smiling at her gently.

Christiane could feel her cheeks redden, hiding a shy smile creeping onto her face, " _Merci_ ".

Anya waved her hands to them, shooing them, " _Aller_ , go! But you bring her back by nine, Barnes!"

"Yes ma'am" Bucky laughed, before taking Christiane's arm in loop with his as they walked down the stairs onto the street.

Bucky waved his arm for a cab, ducking his head to tell the driver the address, "Harlem, The Savoy, please."

He pulled open the door, giving a cheeky smirk to Christiane, "After you, Mademoiselle."

Christiane looked at him, her nose crunched up smiling, " _Merci_!" before getting in, her hands intertwined with Bucky's as the cab drove forwards.

They mostly sat in silence, watching Brooklyn pass by, crossing the bridge over to Manhattan.

"It's so beautiful, _les lumières et les nuages_ (the lights and the clouds)" she whispered, her reflection against the setting orange sun over the bridge, casting a glow to her skin and hair.

Bucky looked over, watching her take in the scenery.

" _Les lumières et les nuages_?" he repeated.

She turned around to face him, the sunset casting against his eyes, a frosty cerulean blue.

"The lights and the clouds", she pursed her lips, "They bring out the blue of your eyes." she shyly whispered, turning away back to the window.

"The clouds bring out my eyes, doll?" he mused.

She shifted around quickly, her mouth open but no words coming out.

Bucky continued, scooting closer to her. Christiane only looked at his eyes, keeping them focused on his. The both of them felt as if everything around them had halted, a rush going through their ears, a course of electricity streaming between their fingertips edging closer to each other.

The cab abruptly stopped, the driver shouting over, "Here you go, The Savoy."

Bucky blinked twice, his eyes still focused on Christiane's, quickly taking out a few bills to hand to the driver.

He turned his hand to her, the cheeky toothy grin back on his face, "Come on, let's go dancing."

The two of got out, thanking the driver before they faced onto The Savoy, walking hand in hand into the dancehall. Already from outside, they could hear a swing band playing, a steady bass drum beat and the blaring of trumpets.

Quickly, Bucky pulled her onto the dance floor, spinning her first before pulling her in closely to him. Their fingers intertwined in one, Christiane's other hand on his shoulder and Bucky's hand on her waist gently. They moved together quickly, their steps in sync as Bucky twirled her again. She threw her head back through the spins, laughing till her sides hurt.

"How'd you know how to dance so well, doll?" Bucky spoke loudly as he twirled her to him, her back against his.

"Dances in Paris!", Christiane smiled, before twirling back out and pulled by her hands close to him again.

"My girl knows how to dance!", Bucky laughed, his eyes closed and head back before they moved together through the crowds.

Frenesi by Artie Shaw played, slowing the pace a little, the two were full of energy, keeping their eyes on each other, sometimes cheek to cheek. Electricity seemed to course between them, a charge that pricked their fingertips, tickling their arms and quickening their heartbeats. They would almost shyly look at each other at times, before looking at one another fiercely before he'd twirl her again.

The song eased into a slow melody, Only Forever by Bing Crosby, as he took her more closely, his cheek resting against her shoulder before they moved cheek to cheek.

"We danced to this before," Christiane's face lightened, whispering to him.

"I remember, New Year's wasn't it?", he smiled into her hair.

"I never got to say sorry for that day," her eyebrows furrowing, remembering the panic she had then.

"You don't ever have to say sorry to me, doll"

"I should have told you about that day in Paris, about what happened at the St. Germain Resistance cell", her voice faded off.

"Anya told Steve, and then Steve told me," his voice close and warm to her.

"I ruined that evening, didn't I..." her voice even quieter now.

Bucky pulled away to look at her in her face, his eyes soft but serious, full of adoration and love.

"You didn't do anything, these things happen. And you can always talk to me, I will always be by your side. I promise."

She felt her heart swell, placing a soft kiss on his cheek as they continued dancing.

"Christiane, I lo..." he stopped as a cheer came from the side of the stage, camera flashes following.

Christiane glanced over to the noise and flashes, gasps and small shouts of "Mr. Stark, Mr. Stark! Over here Mr. Stark!"

She gave a small smile before rolling her eyes.

"Le petit malin," she stood, her arms crossed.

"Is that Howard Stark?" Bucky laced his arm around her waist, tiptoeing above the gathering crowd around the inventor.

"The one and only," she smirked, turning back to face Bucky, "Do you want to continue dancing or are you hungry yet?"

He smiled, his nose crinkling with a toothy grin, "I'm always hungry."

"I saw a café just down the road, maybe we could have dinner there? Do you want to come watch the film with Anya and me later tonight?"

He pulled her in closer, walking together to the door as they left the dance-hall.

"I'll leave you two to have a sisters-night. We can catch a film together another time."

" _Merci, chérie._ " she leaned into him before he pushed opened the door for her.

* * *

Later that evening, when Bucky sent Christiane home, and Anya and Christiane finished with their film, the two sisters walked back together back up their street to the apartment.

The night was frigid for spring, a cool wind blowing across, trees swaying, rustling their branches against each other.

The two walked arm in arm, their steps in sync.

" _On n'a pas fait ça depuis longtemps_ (We haven't done this in a while)," Anya chuckled quietly.

" _Regarder un film?_ (Watching a film?)"

" _Oui, mais tu rencontre qu'on a marché bras-en-bras comme ça avant, quand on était en France?_ (Yes, but you remember when we walked arm in arm like this before, when we were in France?)"

" _Je me souviens Madame Flore regarder par sa fenêtre en crient, "les sœurs Bougourd arrivent!"_ (I remember Madame Flore looked by her window shouting, "the Bougourd sisters are coming!")" Christiane laughed in a fit, trying to imitate the high pitched voice of their neighbor in Paris.

 _"Tu étais tellement le malin à Paris. Toujours en train de se bagarrer avec les garçons du Luxembourg, de jouer au foot avec eux et de faire du vélo sur ce machin-bicyclette rouge!_ (You were such the troublemaker back in Paris. Always going around getting yourself in fights with the boys around Luxembourg, playing soccer with them and biking around on that flimsy red bicycle of yours!)" Anya giggled, trying to catch her breath.

" _Et toi?_ (And you?)" Christiane playfully slapped her sister on the arm, "Toujours en train de se faufiler la nuit à l'appartement de l'Adrienne avec tes amis. (Always sneaking out at night back to the Adrienne's apartment with your friends.)"

Anya sighed, shaking her head, " _Éventuellement tu l'as fais aussi_ (You eventually did it to.)"

" _Je devrais le faire, tu as était avec la Résistance_ (I had to then, you joined the Resistance,)" her voice quiet against the night.

" _Je ne peux toujours pas croire que tu m'as suivi après le couvre-feu, tu es intervenu et tu t'es porté volontaire pour être le courrier_ (I still can't believe you followed me down after curfew, you stepped in and volunteered just like that to be the courrier.)" Anya's voice almost silent.

Christiane stopped in front of the apartment, taking Anya's hands in hers, " _Je ne pouvais pas te laisser partir seul, nous avons promis que nous serions toujours là l'un pour l'autre, tu te souviens?_ (I couldn't let you go in it alone, we promised each other we'd be there for each other always, remember?)"

"Of course I remember, and you made me pinky promise," quietly laughing, she brushed a stray strand of hair from her sister's forehead. Her two hands went around Christiane's cheeks, " _Regarde-toi, toute grande. Si courageux et forte, si belle et gentille. Maman, papa et baba auraient été si fiers de toi_ (Look at you, all grown up. So brave and strong, so beautiful and kind. Maman, papa and baba would have been so proud of you.)"

" _Ils auraient été fiers de toi aussi_ (They would've been proud of you too.)" Christiane hugged her sister tightly, her words muffled by Anya's hair, " _Je t'aime, Anya_ (I love you, Anya)."

She pulled away, a smile of pride, her thumb brushing over Christiane's cheek, " _Moi aussi, poulette_ (Me too, poulette)"

They paused, taking in the quiet sounds of cars driving a few roads away, music playing in other buildings, the night almost empty against their ears.

Anya huffed, wrapping her arms around herself to keep warm, "Come on, let's go inside. It's late already." As she started walking up the stairs.

"You go ahead first, I want to see if I can see any of the stars tonight." Christiane looked behind.

Anya simply shook her head smiling, before going starting back up the stairs.

For a moment, Christiane sat by herself on the steps, looking up to the skies. She tried to take in the subtle silence of her street against the noises of Brooklyn, squinting up to the skies to find Ursa Major and Orion's Belt.

Her ears pricked at metal clanking further away towards the building where Bucky and Steve lived. She thought to herself it was probably only a stray cat until she heard Steve's voice from that direction shouting "Give it back!"

She felt her feet racing on the pavement, sprinting towards Steve, her fists were balled up, ready to fight. As she ran past Steve's apartment, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Bucky racing down the stairs.

Christiane turned the corner, shouting at the thief "Stop!". The man turned around with Steve's wallet, climbing up the fencing up over the other side. Christiane followed behind him, thinking to herself that she thankfully changed into her boots for the evening. Bucky and Steve's voices shouted after her but she could only hear her heart beating hard against her chest, focused on the thief who now turned onto the main road.

"Stop him! Stop!", Christiane shouted, her voice cracking against the strain of sprinting so long.

People on the streets only moved out of the way, looking in shock as she continued running after the thief. She could hear Bucky's voice far behind her, shouting her name. The thief ran across the road as she tried to follow him.

The next thing she felt was pain, her body automatically bracing against something that cracked against her impact. She felt herself fall down on the cold pavement, an older man looking over at her, asking questions. Bucky's face appeared in a blur above her, shouting her name as he came closer, holding her against him tightly. She looked up to the sky, seeing the brightest star, Sirius she slowly thought to herself, contrast against the darkness. The darkness that slowly seeped around her, until she couldn't see the lights anymore.


	12. Chapter 12

Her body ached, stinging her joints, her veins pulsing. She tried to move, picking herself off the cold, wet street. Her neck strained, her eyes prying to look up to the dark grey sky, the sound of whirring from bomber planes in the distance. Her eyes scanned the streets - debris and newspaper thrown all over the place, the wailing of a faint siren behind her. She rubbed her eyes, looking down to the bloodied scratches on her hands. She must have fallen from running.

Her hair fell out from its style, as she tried to get herself up. Instantly, she recognized her surroundings as Place des Vosges in Paris. The arches on the sidewalk cast heavy shadows against the thick looming thunderstorm approaching. Her ears tried to distinguish from the sound of the bomber planes with the bomb shelter sirens.

She slowly walked, almost as if cautiously putting each foot down to test the grounds. Her heavy boots, passed down from her father crunching against pebbles.

" _Il y a quelqu'en?_ (Is there anybody?)", her voice echoed through the streets.

There was no reply except for the rustle of leaves, the siren now quiet as the approaching sound of bomber planes grew louder and closer.

Christiane frantically looked around, starting to run, her hair coming lose as the wind picked up around her. She shouted the same words, her voice cracking under the pressure.

She turned onto another street, running from the sound, deep explosions sounding behind her. She screamed, calling for help in the empty streets.

" _Au secours! Aide-moi s'il vous plaît!_ (Help me! Help me please!)"

A glacial wind hit her, knocking her to the side, carrying a voice.

"Christiane!"

Her eyes widened, stumbling to stop by a lamppost, bewilderment on her face.

The voice spoke again, almost in her head now. The voice she'd recognize anywhere.

"Christiane, focus."

She blinked her eyes hard, rubbing them as she looked around again bewildered. Her voice breathed out, gasping for air, "Anya?"

She blinked again to see her sister in front of her, walking towards her as the sounds that surrounded Christiane abruptly stop. All she could hear was the crunch of her sister's heels on the gravel, the wind taking leaves, whirling around them.

"Focus, look at me."

"Anya, I don't know what's happening." Christiane looked around, trying to understand.

Anya pulled her closely to her, her hand smoothing out her hair.

"Shhh, it's okay. It's just a bad dream."

"Why are we in Paris?" Her eyes were glazed, her voice quiet with the wind.

"We're in a dream-version of Paris.", she soothed her sister, tucking a stray hair behind her ear.

"This is a dream?", her voice in disbelief, cracking under her whisper.

"All of it," she rested her chin on her sister's shoulders, "Christiane, you were in an accident."

Christiane's head stung, trying to recall the events.

"I remember lights, something hit me. I remember looking at stars. Bucky and Steve were there."

Anya pulled away, taking Christiane's hand.

"Walk with me."

"But the bombings? The planes?," Christiane stopped, looking up to the dark sky.

Anya placed a hand on her sister's shoulder, "They won't touch us, it's all in your dreams."

She looked into her sister's eyes, studying the blue and grey fighting like a storm, the glint of orange glowing almost like gold. "The gift, you're using it aren't you?"

Anya nodded, pulling her sister in closer to her side as they walked through the empty streets.

"Long ago, when Heimdall came to me after maman passed, he told me of my gift - controlling dreams and the ability to see my soulmate. I never understood what the latter was, but I tried to practice on Baba all those years ago. In the end, I just ended up using it on wounded soldiers at the frontlines when I was in Europe with Peggy."

"How does it works?" She looked to her sister, then looking past as the ground turned to grass, the Haussmann buildings fading to blue skies. She started to feel the prickle of the sun on her skin, the cool mountain air brushing her hair in the wind.

"You need a physical connection first, like holding hands, and then you try to get past the barrier that surrounds them."

"A barrier?" Christiane questioned, her eyes darting to the scenery as small little white flowers started blooming around them.

Anya stopped, taking a deep breath in, the sun against her face. "It's sort of like being on the same breath as them, you breath in at the same time as them, you're connected in a way. And then you're in their dreams, and you almost guide them along the way, using your thoughts to theirs. Almost as if for a second, your soul is connected to theirs for a brief moment."

They walked together in silence, the faint sounds of grass crunching under their feet.

"Does it hurt, Anya?"

She looked like a saint, her smile soft and eyes loving to her little sister. Her hand rested on Christiane's cheek, "Don't worry, it doesn't hurt at all."

She took her sister's hand again, "I'll be beside you, take your time to rest poulette. Wake up when you can."

With that, Christiane felt her eyes close again, feeling at peace, her breaths steady. She felt safe.

* * *

Anya opened her eyes again, looking to Christiane who was sleeping in the hospital bed. It was remarkable she only made it out of the accident with just a broken arm and a concussion.

On the other side of the room, quiet snores came from Steve and Bucky. Anya couldn't help but smile, seeing Bucky sleeping with his back against the wall, and Steve passed out on the chair. Sunlight started to seep through the curtains, slowly, Anya went to draw them back, illuminating the pale hospital room with light.

Steve rubbed his eyes, feeling the light come directly at him. He could see Anya fussing around outside with two men in uniform. She had her hands on her hips, her stance defensive as she talked to them sternly. The two saluted her, before they all parted ways.

Anya came through the door, shutting it quietly behind, "Good morning Steve," she whispered, a faint smile on her lips.

"Mornin' Anya," his eyes moved to Christiane sleeping on the bed, "How is she?"

"A broken arm and a concussion but she'll be alright. Doctors want her to rest. They found your wallet also, it should be here in an hour or two." her voice came out almost like a whisper.

Steve whispered back, pulling the blanket over Christiane, tucking her in, "She didn't have to go after that man."

Anya chuckled quietly, brushing her sister's hair back, "It's Christiane,"

Bucky groaned, stretching his arms in the air before slowly trying to get himself up from the floor. His hair ruffled in his sleep.

"Mornin," he smiled to Anya, going over to her to give her a hug before coming to Steve to pat him on the back.

He knelt beside Christiane's bed, taking her hand in his, looking up at Anya and Steve.

Anya smiled, "She'll be alright, don't worry Barnes."

Steve came beside Anya, "You must be hungry, staying up the whole night with her. Why don't we go get some coffee and food?"

Anya sighed a chuckle, "That'd be nice, Bucky?"

"If it's alright with you, could I stay here? I don't want her to be alone," Bucky looked up to them, his face tight as if holding back.

"Of course, we'll be back soon." Anya placed a hand on his shoulders, then walking with Steve out the door.

Bucky turned back to Christiane, watching her chest rise and fall with each breath.

He took her hand in his, soothingly passing her thumb over the top of her hand.

He felt a lump in his throat, his face hot as tears started coming from his eyes. He tried to hold them back until he started speaking, his voice cracking that the tears spilled.

"I'm sorry," he bit back the words, "that I couldn't have gotten to you sooner."

He wiped his sleeve over his eyes, breathing in shakily, "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you, I promised you I wouldn't let anything hurt you."

Christiane had started to stir since Anya and Steve closed the door behind them, hearing the skid of a chair on the floor come closer to her, someone holding her hand and then hearing Bucky's voice.

"I'm so sorry," he rested is head on the side of her bed.

Christiane's eyes opened a little, moving her casted arm to touch Bucky's head.

Her voice came out softly, "It wasn't your fault, Bucky."

Bucky looked up at her, eyes red and swollen, tears stained his cheeks. A sudden smile flashed on his face before he suddenly got up and hugged Christiane tightly.

"Too tight, I can't breathe," she breathed out, putting her arm on his back.

He pulled away, sitting back down, holding her hand even tighter.

"Christiane..."

She smiled back to him, before moving her hand to wipe the tears from his cheek, "Hey, it's okay Bucky"

He laughed, pulling her hand to his cheek, resting it there and then back to the bed.

"Don't you ever scare me like that again, doll."

"Did Steve get his wallet back?" she tried to reach for some water, Bucky immediately leapt to the glass, trying to move her bed so she sat upright now.

"Anya said the authorities found it, he should get it back in an hour or two,"

"That's good then," she relaxed back into the bed.

"Christiane?"

"Hmm?" she tried to stretch her neck back, looking back at Bucky.

"I need to tell you something, I didn't get to tell you last night," taking in a deep breath.

She looked him, at his eyes, the blues so bright against the light of the sun, "I love you," he looked back at her focused.

He shifted in his seat, leaning closer to her, his voice a whisper, "I love you Christiane, with all my heart, and each day if it's even possible, I love you even more. I can't imagine a day without you." He started to smile, "You drive me crazy, but I would follow you till the ends of the world if I had to."

Christiane rested her hand on his cheek, "Bucky,"

"I'm not done," he chuckled, taking a deep breath, "You are the most beautiful woman I have ever met. You are so kind, your heart full of love and kindness to everyone around you. You protect everyone around you as much as you can, but know that I will be there beside you always. I promised you that,"

"You did?"

He looked down shyly, looking back up at her, "New Year's, I tucked you to bed and I made a promise to you, to never let anything bad happen to you or let anyone hurt you. And if they did, then by God they better watch their backs."

"Bucky," her voice soft. He looked to her, the green of her eyes almost an emerald color, fighting against the tint of grey and tiny sliver of gold. He looked to her, feeling a sense of protection with her.

"I love you too"

Bucky smiled against her hand, kissing her palm before leaning in to kiss her on her lips, softly.

* * *

Bucky spent the next week with Christiane as much as he could, taking turns with Steve and Anya, keeping Christiane company.

"You seem to be much better this morning, I can discharge you within the hour, Miss. Bougourd." The Doctor noted on the clipboard, looking up to Christiane for her response.

"Thank you _Docteur_ Wolfe," she smiled back at him.

"Will you be taking her home?", he looked to Bucky.

"Yes sir," Bucky nodded sternly.

"Good, make sure she gets plenty of rest and come back in three weeks to take the cast off her arm.", he shook hands with Christiane and Bucky before leaving.

Christiane took a deep breath, smiling as she flopped back onto the bed.

"Let's go home Bucky."

Bucky handed her her clothes, pulling the partition around the bed to give her some privacy.

"Actually, how about a trip to Coney Island?"

She quickly turned her head, tilted to the side in confusion, "Don't you have to work today?"

Bucky waved his hand in the air, dismissing the question, "Steve gets off his morning shift in an hour, we can make it in time to meet him outside work and go."

Her eyebrows furrowed, she tried to interject, "But!"

He took both her hands in his, batting his eyes and smiling cheekily, "Please? It'll be fun!"

Christiane thought for a few seconds, before taking one single nod and pulling Bucky by the arm with her good hand out the door.

By noon, the three arrived to Coney Island, Christiane's eyes in awe to the rides.

"Buck, what about her broken arm?" Steve nudged Bucky.

"She won't be swinging at anyone, she'll be alright! I'll be doing the swinging if we get in a brawl," Bucky shrugged.

"Buck!" Steve breathed out a laugh, Bucky swinging an arm on his back, walking quickly to Christiane.

"What are those?" Christiane pointed to the corn-dog stand.

"They're corn-dogs, sausage on the inside and crispy goodness on the outside!" Steve stood beside her, watching the old lady running the stand dip a few sticks into hot oil.

Bucky reached for his wallet, pulling out some change, "Hello ma'am, could we have three please?"

He gave Steve and Christiane each a corn dog, waiting to see Christiane bite into it.

"It's delicious!", she nodded quickly, immediately taking a liking to the crispy and chewy snack.

"They don't have those in France, do they?" Steve took a bite.

Christiane quickly shook her head, taking another bite. Bucky leaned in closely to her, " _C'est bon?"_ he smiled cheekily to which she quickly swatted him again laughing at his poor pronunciation.

"Chrissy! Wait till you try a Coca Cola!", Steve pulled her along to another stand.

" _Bonjour monsieur,_ could we have three bottles please?", Christiane handed over some coins, passing the bottles to Steve and Bucky.

"You didn't have to doll, you ought to let me treat you once in a while!", Bucky ducked down giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.

" _Non_!" She attempted to cross her arms, only to spill a little of the liquid out, balancing the bottle between her chest and arm cast, and the corn dog in her other hand. "I work too, and it's only fair I get to treat you two also!" she replied stubbornly.

"Next one's on me," Steve nudged Christiane on the side.

"How about this?" Bucky pointed up to a roller coaster, that seemed to extend up to the clouds only to steeply falling to the depths.

A cart took the plunge down a hill, clacks of the wheels against the wooden tracks.

Steve quickly shook his head, downing half the bottle of Coca-Cola. "No, no way am I going on that."

"Come on! It'll be fun!" he playfully slapped his friend on the back.

Steve looked to Christiane, terror in his eyes, who was still looking up intently at the ride, "Please don't tell me you're going with him?"

"It seems like fun," she shrugged. "Anya wanted to take me to Magic-City in Paris but I was too young."

"Then let's do it!" Bucky pulled Steve close to him, not letting him make a run.

"Oh come on, Buck!" he groaned.

Before Steve knew it, he was already being pulled into one of the carts with the two, before the cart took the plunge, throwing them all around the track.

Christiane screamed in delight as the cart took a swerve, going down another hill, Bucky laughing at the sudden drop. Steve on the other hand, held on for dear life, closing his eyes and pursing his lips to prevent the earlier corn-dog from resurfacing.

"I'm never doing this ever again!" Steve finally hollered at the top of his voice as they went down the final hill.

* * *

 _Meanwhile in Asgard_

Loki paced, the tiny copper wolf gripped in his palm, the dark green ribbon intertwined between his fingers.

"Loki?", Frigga quietly entered his room, her voice soft against the crowd outside having a party.

He kept pacing, his head down until he finally looked up to his mother.

"Loki, why aren't you having outside with us? You left right after dessert, my dear." She walked to him quietly, putting a hand on his shoulders.

"I'm not hungry, mother.", he sighed.

"What's wrong, hmm?", she smoothed out his hair.

"It's nothing," his voice equally quiet, only a whisper for the two of them.

"I know when something is wrong, I raised you." She brought him to face her, fingers lifting his chin up. "Loki, what's the matter?"

"I miss her, I miss her terribly, but she doesn't understand what I want," he almost breathed out, words disappearing almost as thinly into the air.

Frigga brought her son closely to her, arms around him. "Want is a very strong word, Loki. Try talking again, you might both find a solution together"

Loki simply shook his head, gripping the copper wolf in his hands so tightly he felt the sharpness prick his palm.


	13. Chapter 13

**October 1941**

"Tell me, Arnim, what else do you have for me since your multiple failed attempts?"

Zola gulped, feeling his bones shaking as he stuttered to come up with words, "I've..I have what I believe is the first replication of the serum. Our spies were able to gather Erskine's research, torn into pieces but I was able to put some pieces together. I believe I may have found the foundations of the serum he was working on." He straightened up, chin high to his reply.

Schmidt's lips curled into a smile, taking up the needle from Zola's hands and plunging it into his veins.

He felt a burn across his nerves, as if intertwining and fortifying his skin and muscles. Pleased with the result, he looked back to Zola, a smirk on his face.

"Well then, we must make sure our good friend has not developed any further on the serum with whoever he is working for, is that right Dr. Zola?"

"Ye..yes," he nodded quickly.

"Send more of our spies, find where he is." The Red Skull waved his finger in the air, walking out of the lab, humming a cheerful tune to the eerie dark facility.

* * *

"Now what you want to do Anya, is to add this solution to that one," he pointed to a bright blue liquid in a flask.

"And then you want me to fuse it with electrodes?" Anya looked around to the German man, taking notes at his desk.

"Yes!" he nodded, eyes still on his writing. He peered up at her, seeing the girl move around the lab, taking notes with each measurement. "You know, you've been learning a lot with Howard. Are you sure it isn't anything more than just..how do you say? Freunds?"

Anya chuckled, her eyes rolling as she switched on the fuse for the solution. She turned around to face Erskine, "Nein Herr Erskine! We had this discussion already! Howard and I are friends, we may be very close friends who are comfortable sleeping in the same bed,"

Erskine raised his eyebrows, Anya emphasizing on her next words, "as friends! But we are only that."

She shrugged, a small smile that turned into exasperation of a quiet sigh, "Besides, I've got someone waiting for me already."

Erskine rolled his eyes, "Ah! Young love! A Frenchman?"

Anya hesitated, trying to think of words to describe the Asgardian, "He's not...from around here."

"You will be reunited together after the war, ja?"

She sighed again, before looking back to the readings on her solution, a small huff coming from her breath as she tried to focus on her work.

Erskine sensing her tension, put his glasses down, walking to get a glass of water. "Anya, how about we call it a day? Look over the notes I gave you and study hard. I heard Agent Carter sent your sister for a trial training upstairs?"

"They thought it was finally time for her to stop living in the shadows of a dream," she raised her eyebrows, "Colonel Philips words."

"She's just a girl," Erskine sighed.

* * *

Christiane put her leg through her opponents stance, swinging it as leverage to knock him off his feet and take stance as she hit the dummy gun on his head. She tucked it in quickly to her belt before kicking high to another oncoming agent, jumping at him to wrap herself around him and use gravity to pull him down behind her before she stood ready for the next two oncoming agents. She deflected each punch with her arms, giving a powerful kick to the chest to each of the men.

"Very good, Bougourd, but you need more work." A man cleared his throat, taking notes on a clipboard.

"With all due respect, Agent Ligetty, I would much prefer something other than this," she huffed, pointing to the dummy weapon as she set it down on the table.

"As an agent you must be prepared for all types of situations, Bougourd." he replied, without looking up from the clipboard.

"Hear her out, Ligetty. She's a hand-to-hand combat kind of woman."

Agent Ligetty raised an eyebrow at Agent Carter where they stood by the matted area.

"I'll bring these observations to Philips. Other than that Bougourd, you're an exceptional fighter. You'd make a good agent especially with those language skills also. And a mechanic also?"

"Yes sir." She stood tall, her stance still, arms behind her back.

"Dismissed Bougourd and Agent Carter." he turned away, walking out the door as all the other agents slowly walked past them, giving Christiane a few odd looks and glares.

"Don't mind them, boys will be boys. Always thinking women aren't capable of kicking their arses."

Christiane undid the wrappings around her knuckles, "I'll say."

"If you pass through with everything, you know that you won't be able to get out of it right?" Peggy lowered her voice.

"I know, I just want more time, to be normal," she whispered.

Peggy rolled her eyes, "You're just like your sister." She laughed, "A little less serious though! I swear your sister jumps head first into everything!"

The two walked together out the door, "Come on, let's get you to Agent Vonn. He'll have a lot in store for you next."

Christiane chuckled quietly, "Should I introduce myself in French, German or Russian?"

Peggy gave a smirk, opening a door for her, "In my opinion, do whatever it takes to get on his nerves.", she winked.

* * *

"Odin, my king.", Heimdall bowed to Odin as he entered the throne room.

"Heimdall, I must confide in you with something."

Heimdall stood straight, his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"I know of the meetings between Loki and Vili's bloodline."

"Anya, your sire."

"You know of Loki's birth place, and have kept the secret since the day I brought him from that battlefield."

"Yes,"

"My brother would not have deemed it right, his bloodline with a frost giant."

"With all due respect, your Majesty, Vili believed in harmony amongst all realms and it's people."

"Silence!", his voice boomed, "I did not ask for your opinion Heimdall, only to tell you that I forbid such an alliance between the two. This is an order, restrict all meetings between the two."

"Your Majesty, Anya has a gift."

"I do not care."

Heimdall hesitated, taking a deep breath and a single nod, "As you wish." He turned on his heels and walked out the throne room. It was not only Odin who had confided an order to him, but centuries ago Vili did the same - To make sure he protected and let his bloodline be happy. Anya's happiness, he knew in some way was with Loki, and would always be with Loki."

Heimdall walked back to the Bifrost, Frigga awaiting him as they walked together.

"Tell me Heimdall, what has he said?"

"To forbid the meetings of Loki and Anya."

Frigga shook her head, "We can arrange something. I will not let Loki and Thor's happiness be ordered."

* * *

Christiane had already fallen asleep after a long day of combat training at the SSR base in Brooklyn.

Anya sat in the living room on the sofa, taking sips of tea.

In the quietness of midnight, she closed her eyes, letting her mind wander. The ache in her heart always present, just pushed away at each sunrise so she could do her job.

She closed her eyes, took in a deep breath, focusing on the beat of her heart. She opened her eyes again, looking to out to the Bifrost with Heimdall and Thor standing in front.

She smiled, going to Heimdall and Thor to give them a hug.

"It's good to see you again, Anya." Thor hugged her tightly.

"You too." she smiled.

She looked to Heimdall, hugging him, "What of Loki, Heimdall? I can't find him anymore."

"He's...he doesn't want to see anyone right now." he replied.

"Thor?" She looked to him.

Thor shook his head, "I'm sorry, Anya."

Anya bit back her lip, nodding before turning back onto the Bifrost.

She opened her eyes back to the living room, a single tear rolling down her cheek.


	14. Chapter 14

**31 December 1941**

Christiane set about putting the table together. She set the timer on for Anya's famous apple tart in the oven. Steve folded the napkins, filling up a jug of water and placed small bright red leaves he found in the park as trinkets for each person.

"It's a shame Anya couldn't be here today," Steve moved around, adjusting the cutlery.

"She has some business event to attend to," Christiane waved her free hand, balancing the other with a bread basket.

Steve looked around to the clock on the wall, furrowing his eyebrows, "I wonder where Bucky is. He said he'd just be a few minutes but it's been an hour."

Meanwhile at Steve and Bucky's apartment

Bucky sat at the table, clutching his sides as he tried to stop another sob from his mouth. His chest trembled, tapping his head knock by knock on the table.

He looked back up at the letter - he was being drafted into the army.

Bucky knew what it meant, that eventually he would have to go to the frontlines in the European theater. He pushed back his chair, a loud screech to the wooden floor and walked to get a glass of water.

He took a deep breath, looking at the mirror next to the front door trying to look determined but instead his eyes were red. He stuffed the letter into his pocket, opening the door and walked to Christiane's place.

He hesitated before knocking, trying to think of words to tell his friends. He first decided on putting it off, but the letter stated he would have to go to training in March. It was now or never.

"That must be him!" Christiane turned around cheerily as she skipped to the door, opening it letting him in.

"Hi," she smiled to him.

He smiled back, still trying to hold his emotions back, "Hi" as he leaned down to kiss her gently on her cheek.

They pulled away, Christiane looking to his face, " _Qu'est ce qui se passe?_ (What happened?)"

Bucky looked down moving past her as he went to the table to sit down.

"Buck, what's wrong?" Steve looked at him concerned, sitting opposite him. Christiane stood by, watching.

He pulled out a letter, setting it on the table. Steve gingerly took it, opening it to read. Christiane could see the stamp from the US Army on the envelope. She felt herself freeze, watching and waiting.

"Buck..." Steve looked to him.

Bucky looked up, his eyes drafting to the two of them, eyes red and puffy.

"I've been drafted."

Christiane's hand flew to her mouth, trying to muffle the sob that started coming. It felt like her heart was trying to escape her chest, as if someone had punched her in the abdomen. Hot tears spilled, she could see through the blur Bucky and Steve coming to comfort her but she backed away to her room, closing the door.

She sat at her bed crying, before kicking off her heels and changing into boots, grabbing her coat and bag, quickly dashing out the door and refused to look at either Steve or Bucky.

Christiane almost ran to the train station, getting a train to Manhattan. The only person she wanted to see right now was Anya. She opened her pocket notebook, flipping the pages for Stark's apartment, quickly wiping a tear from her eyes.

* * *

 **Later at Stark's New Year's party**

"You have to let me in! Please!" Christiane clung to the pedastool where the big tough-looking man stood at the door of Stark's apartment.

"I'm sorry ma'am, everyone wants to see Mr Stark today," he looked at her without much of an expression.

Christiane smacked her forehead with her hand, exasperated, "I don't want to see Mr Stark! I want to see Anya Bougourd!" her voice raising.

"Ma'am I do not appreciate you raising your voice at me, you ought to know better," he replied back still expressionless.

"Anya Bougourd is my sister! How many times must I tell you that!" she argued.

"Your husband ought to give you a beating for the way you're talking to me," his voice stern.

"If you so much lay a finger on my sister, or any other man, I will end you and tear you apart with my own hands," came a cool and calm voice behind the man.

"That's my sister you _connard_ " Christiane glared at the man.

"Come on, let me have a word with Mr. Stark on the horrific behavior of this man. I won't tolerate anyone in the company with such an attitude and to speak to a woman in such a way." she looked at the man sternly, her grey-blue eyes glacial, piercing as if looking straight into his soul.

Immediately, the man ducked his head down, his voice quiet, "I'm sorry ma'am."

"Dismissed," she replied back, watching the man frostily as he left his post by the door.

Anya then looked to her sister, eyes scanning her face, "Why are you here, Christiane? Didn't you have a dinner with the boys?"

Her eyes began to well up, her face twisting trying to keep away the tears.

" _Mon dieu!_ _Christiane, qu'est qui s'est passée?_ (My god! Christiane, what happened?)" Anya looked at her in shock, pulling in closely, walking her into the party as she took her through a door past the crowd into a room. From there she picked a book from the bookshelf, revealing a secret door to Stark's actual apartment. Stark sat on the sofa, watching over the lights of New York.

He looked over to the two, immediately jumping up as he saw Christiane crying.

"Christiane! What happened?" he demanded, then looking to Anya, "What happened to her?"

"I don't know!" she rolled her eyes at Stark before taking her sister to the sofa, sitting her down and giving her a cushion to hug. "Stark, go get some water."

"But I don't usually get water," he interrupted.

Anya turned to him, her voice stern, "Now!"

He quickly saluted turning on his heels, "Yes ma'am."

Anya looked back to her sister, brushing her hair out from her eyes, shrugging her coat off her and draping it over the nearby armchair.

"Poulette, what happened?"

"It's Bucky," she sobbed.

"What's wrong with Bucky? Did he..?" Anya looked at her with eyes of concern.

Howard handed the glass of water to Anya, quickly sitting on the floor beside the two sisters.

Christiane shook her head, taking a big gulp of water, "He got drafted into the army."

Anya pinched the bridge of her nose, taking in a deep breath before looking back at her sister, "Merde (Shit)"

She put a hand on Howard's shoulder, "This is because of the attack on Pearl Harbor. When does he start training?"

"In March," she replied quietly.

"Does he know you're here?" Anya asked.

Christiane shook her head, trying to stifle back another sob.

"You just ran out on him at dinner?" Howard looked at her in confusion.

She nodded quietly, looking at her sister cross the room to the telephone, dialing.

"Hello? Steve, it's Anya. Don't worry, Christiane is fine, she's with me. Let me talk to Bucky. Hello? Bucky, it's Anya. She's with me. You want to come? Okay, the address is 27 Park Avenue. Just ring up, I'll come downstairs and get you. You might be able to get the last train out from Brooklyn. See you soon." She hung up, looking back to her sister.

Christiane continued to cry, trying to keep her fear at bay.

Anya ordered Howard to hide the glasses of champagne from the table in case Christiane spiraled further and started drinking to numb her fear. She took her little sister in her arms, holding her tightly.

"I know you're scared," she whispered, brushing her hair soothingly.

"I thought we'd have more time. We escaped the war only this time it's like the universe is punishing me by sending someone I love back into war." she sobbed again.

"I know, I know," she kissed the top of her head.

"It already scared the daylights out of me when you and Anya went back to Europe," her voice quietened down.

"You have to be strong, not just for yourself but remember also Bucky. It must be extremely overwhelming for him too. For me and Peggy, it was almost natural to be in the SSR coming from the resistance, but for him, it's all new. When it comes the time for you, it might almost be natural too but there will be new things that will overwhelm you."

Christiane nodded, "I will be strong," taking a deep breath as she settled back into the cushions of the sofa.

"I just wish we had more time. I always thought it would be me going back first,"

"Spend all the time you can with him now, do you understand?"

Christiane nodded again, feeling her eyes starting to droop.

Anya kissed her again on her head, pulling a blanket over her, "It's late, sleep." before she walked to the kitchen where Howard waited.

"How is she?" he asked.

"She's scared, she's scared for him. She still gets nightmares from the invasion," she took a sip of champagne.

"I'm not ready for that Anya, if something were to happen to you" Howard quietly spoke, taking a sip from his glass.

"What are you talking about Howard?" Anya's looked at him puzzled.

Howard shook his hands, running his fingers through his hair. "About us!"

Anya set her glass down, quiet for a few moments before her voice came as a whisper, "As friends? Because Howard, you have dames looking at you all around Manhattan. I can't handle that."

"As friends, you and Peggy are truly one of the only people I'd trust my life with, Anya. I just want you to be happy."

"Me too, Howard." she smiled, hugging him before pouring more champagne.

* * *

 **Later**

Bucky came in around midnight, at which point Anya forced Howard to bed to avoid any questions why they were in Howard Stark's house. Anya put him on another sofa opposite the one Christiane slept on. He kissed Christiane on the forehead as she was curled up.

"I'm sorry Bucky," Anya hugged him.

"I knew deep down it'd come one day, I just wish we had more time together," his voice a whisper.

Anya smiled a little, "She said the same thing," putting her hand on his shoulder, she made him look at her, "It's not goodbye, it's never goodbye." She stopped, trying to find the right words, her mind briefly thinking of her relationship, whatever it was with Loki.

"Remember this; love, can survive time, distance. It is the root of what makes us human, we all love someone or something in one way or another. Between you and my sister," she pointed to his heart, "it's in here. It will always be in here. It is a connection that holds her soul to yours and yours to hers now. If you truly love each other, then nothing can get in between you. Nothing. Your love will extend beyond time and space, I swear that to you on my parents."

Bucky nodded, he looked over to her sleeping, as still as a rock.

"I love her, each day if it's even possible I love her even more. I..." he hesitated, a small smile appearing, "I want to spend the rest of my life with her."

Anya sighed smiling, looking over to her sister then back to Bucky, "When you feel the time is right, you know where to find me." She stood up, giving him a squeeze on his shoulders and whispering goodnight as she walked away.

Bucky looked over at Christiane, taking in the way the moonlight shone on her face and hair. He felt a sense to protect her, to shield her from evil. He thought back to the events earlier on in the evening when he got drafted. His heart twisted when he saw Christiane in tears running out the apartment. He knew she was scared. But he felt a sense of duty suddenly, the need to protect her. His mind drifted to a future; he saw her carrying a baby in her arms, singing softly. Bucky came into the house, his looked at himself in a mirror, he was in uniform. A dog ran past him, paws scratching on the wooden floor as he neared to her in the living room. He looked out the windows, seeing they were in the countryside. She turned around, smiling radiantly at him it made his heart swell. He felt his eyes droop close, taking deep breaths as he fell asleep.

Christiane woke to the sunlight seeping through the curtains onto her face. She sat upright, looking around to Stark's apartment completely empty until she looked to the sofa opposite hers. Bucky slept, a little too big for the sofa that his feet dangled at the edge. She got up, shaking him softly until he started stirring. He slowly opened his eyes, trying to figure out where he was until they focused on Christiane, a small smile from his face.

"Mornin'" he whispered.

"Good morning," whispering back.

He sat upright, trying to tame back the curls at the tips of his hair.

"Let's go for a walk?"

He nodded, "Okay," as he turned himself to sit, grabbing his shoes as he helped her into her coat and they walked downstairs onto the street.

It was still early, being the 1st of January, almost everything was also closed. The sun was still rising, the air cold as it bit her cheeks. Snow crunches under their feet, birds chirping in the iced trees.

"This feels so familiar," he chuckled, "didn't we do this a year ago?"

Christiane laughed quietly, "We did do this a year ago,"

"And we talked about something very serious didn't we? And we are about to talk about something serious too." he smiled, ducking his head down.

Christiane pulled him to a bench in Central Park. Everything was white around them from the floor to the trees. They sat together closely, arms linked, hands holding each other. She rested her head on his shoulders, taking in a deep breath of the glacial air.

"I'm sorry about last night, I was scared," she whispered.

"You never have to be sorry, not to me, Christiane. I'm scared too," he whispered back, kissing the top of her head softly.

"I don't want to lose you. It's horrible back in Europe,"

"But I have this, remember?" he pulled out his wallet, taking out the thick golden coin with the protection rune. "I'll always have you protecting me," he smiled.

She could only come out with a quiet laugh, brushing the tips of his hair out of his eyes.

"I'll always be with you, anywhere you go I'll go too," she whispered.

"And I'll follow you to the ends of the world if I have to, Christiane."

He leaned in closely to her, his eyes looking from her lips to her eyes, asking for permission. She leaned into the kiss first, her hands holding his cheeks, thumbs brushing against the stubble that had formed. His hands moved to her face, slowly slipping to the back of her head as he intertwined his fingers with her hair. She sighed a little at the small tugs he was doing, as he smiled into the kiss. She used her tongue to brush lightly on his lower lip, prying his lips as they deepened together. Both becoming breathless as she bit softly down on his lower lip, pulling it with her as she pulled away. Both their lips were swollen, breathing trying to catch their breaths. Bucky looked at her, a wildness in his eyes, the bright cerulean blue of his eyes almost brewing like a storm.

"You're going to be the end of me, Christiane," he smiled, their hands touching like electric.

* * *

 **2 January 1939**

Loki told Anya to come the night before, he held her hands tightly in his before running into the night, the moonlight casting a long shadow in the courtyard as he disappeared up the stone steps towards the palace.

Anya looked over to her sister, curled up on the sofa in their apartment. A bellboy cap in blue rested on her face, blocking out the candlelight. Maps were scattered across the floor as her sister tried to find escape routes through forests and trail paths in the mountains - with tensions rising in Europe, the Resistance forming, they had to find a way to help people out if the day came that they were invaded.

Anya looked over from the mattress she slept on, notebooks from her chemistry classes from school laid open. She took a deep breath in, thinking of the courtyard in Asgard and closing her eyes.

She opened her eyes again to the courtyard, the cool night casting an aura around the full moon. She could hear music in the distance, crowds talking and laughing. Anya looked over her shoulder, Heimdall stood in the moonlight, smiling.

"Welcome home," he chuckled.

Anya ran to him, hugging him tightly.

"It's so good to see you again."

He laughed again, "You were only here yesterday, little one."

"It feels like eternity," she pulled back, smiling up to him.

"He's waiting for you at the palace," he smiled.

Anya nodded, smiling to him, "I'll come say goodbye before leaving," before she started running towards the palace.

She ran past crowds of Asgardians in a celebration, going under the stairs and climbing up the railing by the side to go by unnoticed. She stood by the balcony, overlooking Asgard, the glimmer of the Bifrost casting a reflection to the gold of the palace.

"I didn't think you'd come," a voice came from behind her.

She turned around, facing Loki. Anya took a step towards him, closing the distance between them.

"Why do you keep saying that every time I see you again?" she whispered, looking up to his blue eyes, his hair almost part of the shadows.

"Because I'm not like them, I'm not like anyone here," he turned his head to the noise downstairs, looking over the balcony to the celebrations.

Anya rested her hand on his cheek, "That's what makes you special, Loki."

He chuckled nervously, looking down to his feet before looking back up at her, taking a deep breath.

"Why do you keep coming back, Anya?"

He held her hands in his, holding it against his chest.

Loki looked at her, her eyes the color of a storm brewing over water in the moonlight. She smiled back to him, turning her head to the side, "Why do you keep asking me to come back, Loki?"

Her hair was in waves from keeping it in a bun the whole day. He looked at the light freckles on her nose, his heart beating faster and faster as he took another step towards her.

His voice was as quiet as the wind, a look of certainty in his eyes, "Because I love you, Anya."

Anya's lips parted, trying to take in his answer.

He looked to her lips first, then focusing on her eyes. Anya rested her hand on his cheek gently, Loki doing the same before he leaned in, gently kissing her on her lips.

He backed away, looking for her reaction. Her eyes were focused on him, before she pulled him back down on her, the two of them kissing deeper. Loki couldn't hear anything, like blood rushing through his ears roaring. He couldn't tell if it was his heart beating too hard or the sound of fireworks.

Anya pulled away, the both of them out of breath. He brushed his thumb over her cheek, pulling her in closely to him and kissing her on her head.

He turned them to the fireworks, casting blue, green and red luminescentes on their skins.

Loki laughed softly, "I suppose I got my answer then,"

"You should keep asking me to come back," she whispered back, laughing lightly.


	15. Chapter 15

**Author's Note:** Hello everyone! Thank you for reading so far! I'm trying to write and post as much as possible before the summer finishes so keep posted for many chapters to come! We're about to skip a few months in the timeline. They may be short because I'm having a serious writers block, but hope it conveys the story.

Kiara x

* * *

 **March 1942**

Anya closed her eyes that night, taking a deep breath with only the intent to sleep. It only took a few seconds before she heard his voice, pulling her to Asgard.

"Anya," his voice came from behind her as he stood, an arm going around her waist.

Anya turned, facing him closely, "Loki, why have you brought me here?"

"I have a proposition since our last dispute," a smile forming on his lips.

She reached up to his face, holding it gently, "What is it?"

He looked at her in all seriousness, a glimmer in his eyes and a sense of glory to him, "Be my queen, and I will be king."

Anya suddenly pulled away, trying to study him. "Why, Loki?" her voice cautious.

"There's no point in my presence here unless I am king one day. I am only the Prince of Asgard. Father has deemed Thor the righteous king but I can still prove him wrong."

"Loki," Anya whispered, trying to find words, "I don't want to be a queen, it's not my place to take up such a responsibility."

Loki took a step forwards, eager to her, "You know we were meant to be together, Anya."

She shook her head slowly, eyes studying the fiery glory in his face, "No, not like this Loki."  
Anya walked down to the center of the courtyard she appeared in, the moonlight casting a silvery blue as he followed behind her. "Loki," her voice was quiet but stern, her eyes looking to him in love, "Come to Midgard with me, we can be together. Have a life together."

Loki's face twisted, his eyes looking to her in betrayal, "You're a god, Anya. Why would I like anyone of them?"

Anya took a step closer to him, "I'm human too, Loki. I'm not a god, maybe a small fraction but I'm more human. I don't want to be a queen to rule over people. I'm not prepared for that."

Loki took a step back, "You can't even do that for me?"

Anya took another step following him, "I'm sorry, Loki. I want to be with you, but I can't like this."

He turned away, before looking to her, eyes raging, his mouth pursed, "This is the only way. Leave," he started walking away from her, "This will be the last time you'll see me Anya."

Anya looked at him as he disappeared into a glimmer. She closed her eyes, whispering to herself as the tears started coming, "You couldn't even come here to do it yourself."

* * *

"Name?" the officer looked at Steve sternly, his eyes moving up and down checking his physical.

Steve stood as tall as he could, chin up and shoulders back. He gulped, trying to lessen his shaking and the sweat coming from his hairline.

"Thomas Harrett, sir" he cleared his throat.

"Where're you from Harrett?" the officer squinted his eyes.

"I…Ithaca, sir" he stuttered, trying to maintain eye contact with the officer.

"Hmm…", the officer looked again, picking up a stamp and pounding it on his papers and handing it back.

"Next!", the officer shouted.

Steve looked down at his papers, a big red stamp with 'Rejected' on it.

He walked round the corner, his eyes still on his papers as he accidentally bumped into someone.

"Pardon me," he said, eyes still on the papers as he walked on.

"Hey!" a voice came behind me. "Hey!" louder and more aggressive.

I felt his collar being pulled from behind as he was yanked into an alleyway before being shoved into the dumpsters.

The man laughed before stalking to him in the corner, hand ready to punch.

Steve had told Christiane to wait in the coffee shop, telling her he had to get something.

Christiane sat by the window, gazing out into the street as she sipped a cup of coffee. Bucky was at the apartment preparing his things before leaving for training in the afternoon, Anya at the SSR base, while Steve and her had the day off.

She saw Steve walk past, his eyes focused on a piece of paper. Eyes wide, she quickly put down her coffee and ran outside. She tiptoed to look down the street, Steve nowhere to be found.

She started looking down each alley way, only to see a man walk out one in front of her as she started running to it, taking a turn.

"Steve!" she shouted, seeing him on the ground, pulling him up by his arms and shoulders.

"I'm okay," he coughed.

"No you're not, I'm taking you home," they walked out onto the street.

"I'm fine, Chrissy," he coughed again, arm clutching his side.

"Even talking is hurting you." she stopped, taking him to face her, "Steve, since Bucky got drafted, you've gone every week trying to enlist. And almost every time, you end up in a fight!" She clenched the bridge of her nose, her eyes closed trying to breath.

"I've got to go there, I've got to go with him," he spoke softly, arm still at his side.

Christiane looked at him, eyes scanning his face before she sighed, "I know," she wiped the stray dirt on his forehead with her handkerchief.

"You're not going to stop me?" his eyebrows furrowed together.

"Oh I will, but I know you'd follow Bucky till the very end,," tucking the handkerchief back in her skirt's pocket as they walked back to their apartments.

Steve smiled to himself, remembering the line Bucky said to him a few years ago, "Till the end of the line."

"You'd find one way or another," she sighed, looking up to the sky to take in the rare ray of sun.

He looked to her, smiling at how carefree for a moment she looked, "Would you ever consider going back?"

"To France?" she raised an eyebrow, eyes still closed.

"I suppose so," he shrugged, as they turned onto their street.

"I know one day I'll go back, it's a matter of when," digging her hands into her pockets as she kicked along a pebble on the pavement.

* * *

Bucky held onto Christiane tightly as they walked towards the bus station. Other men surrounded them, waving goodbye to their loved ones.

"You packed everything already?" Christiane looked to him, a hand on his duffel bag swung on his shoulder.

He chuckled, rolling his eyes, "You've asked me this five times already, doll."

She smiled softly, brushing out a stray hair on his face, "Just making sure."

Her eyes wandering down to her feet, taking a deep breath.

He looked at her, eyelashes casting shadows against her cheeks.

"Christiane," he lifted her chin up gently, his thumb moving to her cheek. "I'll be back before you know it."

"I know," she sighed.

Bucky continued, "And I'll write to you, I'll call when I get the chance."

She looked back down again, Bucky taking up her chin again, "I promise."

Christiane laced her arms around his body, resting her head on his chest.  
"Make sure you eat enough and don't burn yourself out," she whispered into his shirt, really masking the feeling of her eyes glazing over.

He kissed her on the forehead gently, resting his chin on the top of her head as he hugged her back tightly.  
"Don't worry about me, doll. It's not goodbye."

Her breath came out uneven, words a whisper, "I know,"

"I love you," he kissed her again on the forehead, before pulling away, walking backwards.

Christiane mustered a small wave, tugging her cardigan attempting to keep the warmth that Bucky engulfed her in only to be parted away.

She watched him board the bus, watching him wave to her from the window as she mouthed back the words he left her with, "I love you."

She turned around, walking home to the steady sounds of her heels clicking to the ground. She had to do something. She couldn't let Bucky go out alone to Europe. Christiane decided - it was finally time to face reality. She had to join the SSR.

* * *

 **April 1942:**

"You want to relax into your stance, make sure your shoulder isn't tensed," an agent talked behind the group of training agents splayed on the floor with a rifle in their arms, taking aim.

Christiane took a breath in, holding it till she fired, getting it to the bulls-eye.

"Bougourd, again! I want to see all your shots in the same hole, do you understand?" he peered down at her.

"Yes sir," she breathed, pulling back to take aim.

 ** _February 1939:_**

 _"What you want to do is to make sure you get your breathing right," the voice of a man tutored the youngsters in the countryside. "We have an invasion coming, You need to make sure you can fight back."_

 _Anya and Christiane stood side by side, taking aim at metal cups and pots set up yards away from them._

 ** _May 1939:_**

 _Christiane deflected a punch from her opponent, quickly punching back as she advanced on him. She used her elbow to hit him in the face, kicking him in the stomach before using her leverage, a leg between his stance before she took him down._

 _"Good, again!" a man in the Resistance looked on at her, arms crossed. "You need to be quicker than this. They will not hesitate to hurt you first if they know who we are."_

 _"Just give her a break, she's only a girl." Anya confronted him._

 _"She's our courier, she needs to be prepared for anything."_

* * *

Steve came home from work to a letter at his door. He wasn't scheduled for another hour for dinner with the Bougourd sisters.

He sat at the kitchen table, opening the letter with a butter knife as he read its contents.

 _Dear Steve,_

 _I really hope you didn't get into any other fights without me._

 _I need to ask you a favor, a rather big one in fact._

 _I need you to find my mother's ring. It should be in a blue velvet box under the floorboard under the carpet in my room that's in a wooden box._

 _Keep it safe, I'll be needing it later._

 _Your pal, Buck_

Steve looked back up from the letter, a look of confusion over his face trying to think why Bucky would need his mother's ring.

His eyes turned wide, suddenly leaping out of his chair as he ran into Bucky's room trying to dig out the ring box. He opened it, revealing a diamond, cushioned by small sapphires on a silver band.


	16. Chapter 16

**June 1942**

Bucky waved goodbye to his army pals, pulling the duffel bag closely as he walked back in the familiar streets of Brooklyn. He had to admit, he missed the sounds of the city compared to the quiet of the army base.

It was still early and according to Christiane's recent letter, Christiane worked the mornings until she came back in the afternoon. She had quit the mechanic shop and was now working in an antiques shop with Anya in Brooklyn. He checked his watch, reading seven in the morning.

He turned onto his street, hoping that Anya hadn't left for work yet. As he started taking the stairs, his feet quiet against the steps, he finally faced the Bougourd sister's apartment.

He felt butterflies dancing in his stomach, his heart beat pounding against his rib cage. He knocked, waiting for a response.

Anya was making her morning coffee before hearing a knock. She was already dressed in a white collared shirt and a brown pencil skirt. She made for the door, mug in hand as she peered through the peephole.

"Bucky?" she opened the door, a radiant smile on her face.

"Anya," he returned the smile, hugging her.

"Christiane isn't here, she's at work right now." Anya set her mug down, grabbing another cup for Bucky. "Please sit, have you had breakfast yet? How long is leave this time?"

"Not yet, and for two days, and," he hesitated, before looking at her in all nervousness, "I'm not actually here to see Christiane, I'm here to see you,"

Anya was in the kitchen, moving around to put some buttered toast on the stove.  
"Now why would you like to see me, Bucky?"

He paused again, trying to find the right words that would put his thoughts together. Instead, he decided to be straight forwards. He straightened up, looking at her as she came to sit opposite him.  
"I would like to ask your permission and blessing,"

Anya took a sip of her coffee, her eyes focused on him, "Yes?"

"For Christiane's hand in marriage,"

She set the mug down, looking at him. Her lips curved at the corners, before growing in a full smile.  
"Bucky, do you think its wise right now? With you in the army?"

"Timing is never right, but I hoped we could get married after the war. For now, I'd just like to give her my mother's ring, to hear what she'd think." He looked down at the table, watching the coffee swirl in his mug before looking back at Anya.

She saw him, saw his raw emotions - he looked like he was trying to stifle back tears, eyes full of adoration.

"I love her, Anya. I love her with all my heart and all my life." his voice cracked, his eyes focused now on Anya's.

Anya nodded, standing up to the kitchen to bring the toast back to the table.  
"I know you do," she sat back down, legs crossed as she took another sip of her coffee.

"Do you promise to protect her, to be by her side always? To dedicate your life to hers and be with her in sickness and in health? Do you promise you'll follow her to the ends of the world and time? Do you promise to love her unconditionally?"

Bucky nodded, smiling as he felt the weight off his chest lifted, "Yes, I promise."

"You have my blessing and my permission, Barnes."

* * *

It was the end of her morning training at the SSR. Christiane walked back home, tugging on the darn collared shirt that itched her neck. At least she got to wear trousers she thought to herself. She turned onto another street, walking under the sun.

She squinted, trying to see who the little guy was as a big man shoved him. Her eyes flew wide, realizing it was Steve, again.

The man shoved him into an alley, Steve's arms up in defense already. She ran, turning into the alley as she saw Steve's lip already bloodied, the man's hand gripped at Steve's shirt.

"Hey! Hand's off!" she stood her ground firmly, looking him in the eye.

The man turned, taking her in slyly, "Well hello, sweetheart."

"I said take your hand's off him." her voice more stern, she moved pulling his arm away.

The man looked at her in shock, his face twisting into anger as he readied himself to push her to the wall.

Christiane gripped his wrist, twisting it quickly before kicking him at a full force to his stomach and her other arm elbowing him in the face.

Steve looked in shock to the fight, hearing a crunch and the man stumbling back shouting in pain.

"You bitch!" he muffled through. His hand over his nose.

Christiane stood ready, her arms up to guard her face, palm open and feet planted to the ground. Steve saw the green of her eyes emerald, her dark brown hair flitting in the wind; she looked like an Olympian goddess, Athena, poised to fight.

The man took another step forwards trying to take a swing a her before she ducked, punching him in the stomach again and using his outreached arm to put over her shoulder. She pulled down, throwing him over her shoulder onto the ground. He scrambled up, running out the alley and limping.

"How'd you do that?" Steve looked at her, eyes wide in awe.

She brushed the dirt off her clothes, walking to Steve to offer up his arm to stand.  
"Just some training," she grabbed a handkerchief from her bag, dabbing it on Steve's lip. "This'll need some disinfection."

"I'll be fine," Steve waved his hand, holding onto the handkerchief as they walked out the alley way.

"Not when that gets infected and you run a fever," she stopped, looking at him in threat to the argument.

Steve sighed, before smiling to her and nodding, "You're always right about this,"

Christiane laughed, rolling her eyes, "That's because it's happened before, Steve! Come on, let's go home."

* * *

Anya sat by the windowsill, watching the summer rain fall against the glass, dark and metallic against the night.

"You're thinking about him, aren't you?"

Anya turned around to see Christiane standing by her doorway.

Her smile was faint, trying to hide her emotions, "How did you know?"

"You have this look in your eyes when you think about him, like you're full of love but so empty from it," she walked closer to her sister, hugging her tightly.

"I'm still thinking about the last time we talked," her voice barely audible.

"To be queen?"

"He didn't even come in person to ask me. He's so engulfed in jealousy," she bowed her head down, looking to her hands.

"Go," Christiane replied, "Go find him. Go tell him how feel."

Anya chuckled, "Look at you, always being the big sister out of the both of us."

"You were always the logical one, I was always the emotional one," Christiane engulfed her sister in a hug.

"How's the boys?" she whispered quietly.

Christiane tip-toed to the living room, seeing Bucky passed out on the sofa and Steve on the armchair before she tip-toed back to her sister, "As still as rocks," she laughed quietly.

"Go back to bed, poulette," pulling her sister to kiss her cheek. " _Bonne nuit_ "

" _Bonne nuit,_ " she kissed her sister's cheek before tip-toeing back to her room.

Anya returned her focus to the droplets on the glass, laying down back into her bed, pulling the covers up.

She closed her eyes, taking a breath in as she tried to envision the Bifrost entrance.

"Little one," Heimdall's voice approached, her eyes opening as she hugged him tightly.

"I saw you coming," he smiled to her sympathetically. "He still doesn't want to see anyone."

"I need to see him," her eyes focused onto the Bifrost leading to the palace.

"I know," he gave her a cape to wear over her in dark blue, "He's in the palace library."

The velvet of the cape, a brooch with the tree of Æsir in silver. "It's beautiful, Heimdall."

"Keep it, Frigga wanted to give you the Valkyrie blessing," he smiled, nodding to her to take it as he fastened it on her.

"But…"

"Frigga sees you as family, a warrior, as strong as a Valkyrie," he brushed the silver brooch before holding her at her arms. "He's in the palace library, go little one."

"Thank you, Heimdall, for everything," she looked over her shoulder before walking down the Bifrost, trying to think of words and ways. The closer she got, the angrier her sadness turned. She was enraged, fists balled up as she walked on in determination until she reached the front of library.

Anya took a deep breath before opening the heavy wooden door, causing Loki to turn around, his eyes wide and in shock.

"Anya? What are," he replied cooly, his eyes still in anger.

She shouted, "Loki, how dare you give me such an ultimatum and not come to me in person?" She walked up to him, pushing him in the chest hard as he stumbled back, a look of amusement in his face.

Anya continued, "You think this is funny? I love you! Do you hear me? I love you, Loki and yet you are so engulfed in jealousy and pride to even see what is and what has always been in front of you."

His face changed, eyes softening as he tried to take a step towards her, a hand outreached to hold her, "Anya, please,"

Anya backed a step, her voice quiet, "I have always loved you Loki, and I always will."  
She turned her back, running to the door sending the cape flying behind her.


	17. Chapter 17

**August 1942**

"Calm down, Buck, everything looks wonderful!" Steve sat on a chair, watching Bucky pace back and forth on the rooftop of Christiane and Anya's apartment.

"Oh God, I really hope I read the weather forecast right" he ran his hand through his hair, looking up to the clouds in the distance.

"For the seventh time, it won't rain! You've got clear skies for tonight!"

"But is it too much?" he looked to Steve for a moment before pacing again, waving his arms in the air, "The flowers, candles?"

"Hmm?" Anya turned around from the picnic mat laid on the floor as she adjusted another pillow on the brick wall.

Bucky stopped in front of her, a look of confusion and vain on his face, "Do you think it's too much? Too less?"

Anya stood up, putting her hands on his shoulders, "Bucky, calm down. Christiane will love it," she looked around the transformed rooftop, the last light from the sunset casting warm buttery golden glow to everything.

"But the flowers," he looked around in awe to hydrangeas in white, pink and purple, "How'd you manage all of this before I got here?"

Anya smiled, reminding herself to thank Stark for the favor, "Just a friend from work has some connections with a florist."

"Should I get the pizza from Rossi's now?" Steve looked at his watch nearing eight in the evening.

"She should be coming back from work anytime soon, let's go Steve," she took him by the arm before walking down the stairs.

Bucky paced again, trying to think and practice the words he recited probably millions of times in his head. He lit the candles, looking up to the twilight for signs of any clouds as the first stars started coming out.

"Bucky?" Christiane walked up the steps to find the tiny rooftop, colors of white, pink and purple lined the walls of the rooftop like bushes. A picnic blanket laid out on the floor with cushions backed up against one wall, candles flickering.  
"What's all this? Anya and Steve told me to come up here," she looked at him in a look between confusion and admiration.

"I thought we could do something special tonight," he took her hand, pulling her into a kiss. "What do you think? Is it too much?"

"Bucky," she took in the surroundings, trying to comprehend how a tiny rooftop in Brooklyn could be transformed into such beauty, "It's perfect."

He let out a sigh, a smile appearing before he guided her to the blanket, looking up to the stars, he put an arm around her bringing her in tightly.

"What's that one?" he pointed up.

"That's Sirius, the brightest star in the northern hemisphere. It's part of Canis Major, the Dog Star," she tried to trace the outlines of a dog.

"Dinner's here!" Anya's voice came from the stairs, bringing up a box of pizza.

"Anya?" she looked to her sister in confusion, sitting upright.

She passed the box to Bucky, waving to her sister, "I'm not here to stay, just delivering the food. Steve and I were going to go watch Bambi."

Steve waved from the stairs, "We'll be back later!" before Anya took by the arm pulling him down the stairs.

"Here," Bucky handed her a plate of the hot cheesy dish with pepperoni on it.

"This smells delicious!" Christiane took in the smell of melted cheese, something that reminded her of the winter's spent in the alps with her family over cheese fondue.

They took bites, piece after piece while Bucky asked more questions about the stars, planets and their names. By the time they finished, the night sky turned to an eternal black. They continued to eat strawberries and whipping cream Anya had prepared, washing away the cheesiness to sweetness.

"What about that one? They all look like diamonds," Bucky pointed to a bright dot in the sky to her right.

"That's Mars, its…" she turned back to Bucky only to find on one knee beside her, holding out a blue velvet box with a small diamond and sapphire ring to her.

"What about this one?", he whispered, eyes on her.

"Bucky,…it's…" she breathed, smiling to the beautiful setting of the ring.

He took a deep breath in, trying to control his anxiousness, "Christiane, words cannot describe how much I love you. With all my heart and soul and every breathing moment if I can. You are the sunshine in my life, my angel, my everything. You make me a better man, and brought me out of the darkness. I swear, with my life that I will protect you, honor you and be by your side always."  
He took another deep breath in, preparing himself, "Timing is never right, and it could be years before we could get married but I want to make this official right now. You are my life, and I cannot imagine my life without you. Christiane, will you marry me?"

Christiane's mind raced, her heart leaping like it was sprinting up Mount Everest. She moved closer to him, nodding as she whispered "Yes," to him before he slipped the ring on her finger, kissing him with everything she could in that moment.

It seemed like eternity but no time at all until they pulled away from each other, breathless.

Christiane felt a wet drop on her arm, looking to the splash mark. Drop by drop rain started falling quickly and heavily. Bucky took her by her hand, making a run to the stairs as they were drenched head to toe.

They continued running down the stairs till they arrived to the apartment door, Christiane fumbling for the keys in her wet hands to open the door. Bucky leaned against the door frame watching her.

"Could you get used to it?" he asked her, eyes full of adoration and a toothy grin.

"To what?" she turned the key around.

"Being stuck with me for the rest of your life?" he smiled cheekily to her as she turned to him squealing as he tried to tickle her, the door opening under their weight as they stumbled into the living room.

There sitting at the table was Anya and Steve playing cards. Anya had a smirk on her face, the kind she knew what was going on but preferred to not say it, whereas Steve's face turned to white.

"Bugger," he grabbed the newspaper on the table flipping a page, "It's not Thursday."

* * *

 **25 December 1942**

"Do you have to leave tomorrow?" Christiane asked, walking arm in arm with him in the park, bundled up tightly from the snow.

"I wish I could stay longer with you, doll." he squeezed her hand, smiling to himself when he felt the ring on her left hand through her gloves.

They sat at a bench silence, watching a snowball fight ensue between a group of children, their parents sitting on the other side.

"How about a winter wedding?" Bucky's voice broke the silence, contrasted against the laughter from the children and the distant patter of wet tires on the roads.

"White on white?" she chuckled to herself.

"Blue and white accents, can you imagine it?" he laughed.

"A wedding in New York?" she looked at him, smiling at the way he closed his eyes to envision.

"Anywhere you want, doll," opening his eyes to her.

"A small wedding, just our loved ones with us."

"Big, small, I don't care as long as I'm getting to marry you," he beamed a toothy grin.

* * *

 **January 1943**

"Harder Bougourd!" an agent shouted from the sidelines watching her spar. Peggy stood beside watching her. Anya stood by the doorway, watching her sister fight.

Training consisted of using whatever they could find scattered on the floor to use as a weapon against their opponent. So far, her opponent, a gruff looking man, just a little taller than Christiane had a knife while Christiane held a long metal bar.

She flipped it in her hands, holding it out as a first defense.

She took the first step, hitting him on his arms to weaken his offense.

"I said harder, Bougourd!" the agent shouted again.

Christiane ducked her opponent's swing of a knife over her head, swinging her leg and the bar to knock him off his feet as she pushed her weight against the bar to flip up, her stance now on the offense as she swung around hitting him on all his sides with the bar.

Her opponent stumbled back, trying to recover his stance only to take another hit each time until he stumbled to the floor, scrambling back until he hit a wall, hands up in defeat.

"Good, Bougourd, you're dismissed. Martins, a word with me." the agent satisfied turned around with the opponent, leaving Peggy and Anya with Christiane.

Peggy handed her a towel as she patted it to her face.  
"So far, you've managed to knock down the tallest men in the SSR, yet you still won't take up a gun."

She took up a cup of water on a nearby table, drinking the whole thing down.  
"It's not practical, I don't want to kill my opponent, just injure them."

"You're going to need it when you go out in the field, Christiane," Peggy looked to her, shaking her head. The Bougourd stubbornness still surprised her always.

"Peggy's right, you can't just rely on hand to hand combat," she took up her sister's arms, pulling up the sleeves to reveal dark purple bruises on her forearms, "Look at this."

Christiane pulled away, pulling the sleeves back down, "I'm fine, it doesn't hurt."

"This is only training, you know how it's like out in the field." Peggy breathed out, taking a sip of tea.

"At least carry a knife with you when you're out there, like back in Paris, please?" her sister looked to her pleading, gingerly holding her arms in her hands again.

"Fine," Christiane nodded, pulling Anya and Peggy in closely, "I will."

"Another thing," Anya pulled away, pulling out an envelope from her jacket, "This came this morning for you."

"The fiancé?" Peggy mused, a glint of amusement in her eyes.

"Shh! Not so loud! You know how they feel about relationships at work!" Anya giggled, swatting a hand at Peggy.

Christiane smiled at the two swatting at each other as she opened the envelope.

 _My dearest Christiane,_

 _I hope you are well, and know that I miss you terribly._

 _Unfortunately I need to tell you news that I won't be coming home next month. They'll let me go home in March. They want me to train for another month to be a sergeant and a marksman._

 _I wish I could be home with you, that this war wasn't happening. I wish I could hold you in my arms tightly._

 _I'll try to call soon if they let us have our calling hours back (some punk decided to play a joke on the drill-sergeant. Our whole company's gotten our calling hours suspended for now...)_

 _Give my love to Anya and Steve._

 _I love you with all my heart,_

 _Your Bucky_

Christiane looked up from the letter, her face expressionless as she looked to Peggy and Anya.

"What's wrong?" Peggy and Anya stepped forwards to her, full of concern.

"They want him for another month at the base to train as a marksman. They're going to make him a sergeant." she flipped the letter over, before tucking it back in the envelope.

Peggy pulled back, her voice quiet as she took a breath in, letting it out, "They're going to send him out in March with the SS Dorchester."

Anya shook her head, her eyes closed, " _Non, non_."

"Would men in training know when they'd be shipped out so soon?" Christiane looked to the both of them.

"He'd know in a few weeks," Anya breathed out.

Christiane looked back to the envelope, feeling Peggy and Anya close to her. She closed her eyes, trying to keep the tears away.

She whispered to herself, only audible to Peggy and Anya, "I just wish we had more time."


	18. Chapter 18

**20 February 1943**

Christiane walked back to the changing room, stretching her arms out after a long day of training in combat and languages at the base. Anya and Peggy had left earlier in the morning to Camp LeHigh for supervision over the week.

Her hands fumbled to open the locker, taking her dress down from its hangar to look down to a note, flitting down gently to the floor. Printed in Peggy's cursive handwriting wrote: "He leaves on March 31".

She turned her back against the locker walls, sliding down to sit as she held the note gingerly between her fingers; the reality of him heading to Europe becoming more and more real.

 **30 March 1943**

Steve agreed with Christiane and Bucky to meet each other at the cinema near their homes, a screening of Hello, Frisco, Hello.

Christiane came from the SSR disguised as an antiques shop, running as best as she could in the flared skirt she changed into from training. She quickly paid for a ticket before jumping the steps to the screening, poking her head in silently to try and find Steve.

"Steve?" she whispered, looking down each row with no avail before running back up the theatre steps, walking out to the street.

She heard metal clattering on her left, as she ran into the nearby alleyway, a man backing Steve up into the corner.

"Back off!" she shouted, her palms splayed out at her sides.

The man turned around, a filthy smile on his face as he looked at Christiane, stalking to her. Steve took the opportunity to jump and pull him at his collar, punching him in the cheek as he turned back to him. The man stuttered back, a fist flying towards Steve as he flew backwards into the pile of trash bins.

"I told you to back off!" she ran towards him ready to jump behind him and lock his throat for him to faint with her arm.

Christiane started to move towards him only to have herself yanked backwards, a strong arm around her waist pushing her behind as he caught the man's fist in the air.

She looked to a tall man she recognized in uniform.

"Pick on someone your own size," he twisted the man's arm and kicked him as he ran away.

Christiane watched the man run past her, ready to elbow him in the face only to have Bucky pull her away again, "Oh no you don't. That's enough fighting for the two of you."

Steve scrambled up panting, fists up ready, "I can do this all day," taking up Bucky's arm to stand as they walked out the alley, the sun shining warmly onto their backs.

"You don't think I don't know about this?" Bucky pulled out a piece of paper dangling out of Steve's pocket.

He turned to Christiane beside him, paper waving in his hand, "Do you know about this?"

"Almost every week," she looked at Steve, eyebrows raised.

"What's next Steve? You're going to get caught one of these days!"

"I won't get caught," he muttered, turning to get a good look at Bucky as they stopped on the sidewalk. "You got your orders?"

Bucky straightened up, pulling Christiane closely to him with one arm, the other tipping his cap, "Sergeant Barnes, 107th shipping out to England first thing tomorrow morning."

Christiane felt a sting to her heart, like a knife driven through. She glanced down, trying to recollect her emotions, deciding to look happy for Bucky's sake. She looked back up, "So where to now?"

"The future," he gleamed, taking out a pamphlet from his jacket as they walked up to the subway station.

* * *

"Breathe, Howard." Anya held him by his shoulders.

"I can't breathe! This is horrible, nothing is going to work!" his eyes wide, taking a sip of the martini in his hand.

Anya looked to him in disapproval, taking the drink out his hand and throwing the content's to a nearby tree.  
"It won't be perfect, but it will work. This is the future we're talking about, nothing's perfect from the beginning."

Howard breathed out, smiling at her with loving eyes, "What would I do without you?"

She crossed her arms, rolling her eyes as she muttered under her breath, "Probably in California with yet another dame on your arm."

"Ha! California? I'd take her to Rio! What do you think?" he leaned in to her as he adjusted his bow tie.

"You'll be great," she kissed him quickly on the cheek before pushing him out onto the stage.

Howard walked on stage with the crowd applauding wildly, pulling a showgirl for a kiss as Christiane grimaced, scrunching up her nose.

* * *

Bucky leaned in, an arm around her waist, "What's wrong, doll?"

"Nothing," she turned around, "Nose's itchy."

He chucked kissing her lightly on her forehead before they turned their attention back to the showcase.

Anya rolled her eyes, classic Stark.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, what if I told you that within a few short years, your automobile won't even have to touch the ground at all," he charismatically walked around the stage, eyes fixed on him.

"With Stark Gravitic Reversion Technology, you'll be able to do just that," his eyes going to the crowd, scanning to see Christiane in the first few rows, his eyebrows raising as he smiled cheekily seeing Bucky behind her before going back to the control panels.

As the car started to gravitate, a hum echoing as there were 'oh's and ah's' amongst the crowd, Bucky stood watching. She could feel his heart beat fast, "Holy Cow. You're seeing this right, doll?"

Just as it short-circuited, the car falling to the ground.

"I did say a few years didn't I?" Stark swayed, smiling back to the crowd, laughing and applauding.

"Hey Steve, what do you say we…" Bucky turned around, trying to find him.

Christiane turned around with him, "Steve?"

Bucky pursed his lips, shaking his head disapprovingly as he took Christiane's hand, walking to the army recruitment block.  
"Not again," she breathed out, walking in stride with Bucky.

"Come on," he gave Steve a little shove, "We were thinking of grabbing something to eat and maybe go dancing."

"You go ahead, I'll catch up with you." he looked to Christiane apologetically. She knew he wouldn't follow behind.

"You're really going to do this again?" Bucky shook his head.

"Well, its a fair. I'm gonna try my luck."

Bucky's voice raised, "As who? Steve from Ohio? They'll catch you. Or worse, they'll actually take you."

They stared at each for a few seconds, Bucky tensed before Steve continued, "Look, I know you don't think I can do this."

"This isn't a back alley, Steve. It's war."

They started arguing, Christiane taking a step to get at least put a hand on the both of them.

"I know its a war," Steve argued.

"Why are you so keen to fight? There are so many important jobs." Bucky shot back. Christiane turned her head to Steve, waiting to hear his answer.

"What do you want me to do? Collect scrap metal in my little red wagon?"

"Bucky.." Christiane warned him, his voice at the verge of shouting.

"Yes! Why not?" he waved his arms in the air.

"I'm not gonna sit in a factory, Bucky." Steve closed his eyes, trying to recollect his thoughts as Christiane squeezed tightly on Bucky's arm as he continued to argue.

"Bucky, come on. There are men laying down their lives." Steve spoke, finally silencing Bucky as he breathed heavily.

"I got no right to do any less than them. That's what you don't understand. This isn't about me."

"Right. 'Cause you got nothing to prove." Bucky defeated spoke, his eyes beginning to glaze.

Christiane stood by the both of them, Steve smiling softly to her as she started to feel her eyes water over, this was it. The heavy pit in her stomach and the stinging feeling in her throat started again, her two best friends were about to say goodbye to each other.

Bucky started walking backwards, pulling Christiane by her hand as she still faced Steve, "Don't do anything stupid until I get back."

Steve smiled, the boyish adventure in his eyes again, "How can I? You're taking all the stupid with you."

Christiane laughed, her eyes really beginning to tear up as she looked to Bucky stride to Steve.

"You're a punk" he stifled, hugging him tightly.

"Jerk," he hugged him back, "Be careful."

Christiane went to Steve, hugging him, "I'll see you at home later," she kissed him on the cheek.

Steve watched the two of his best friends walk hand in hand closely.  
"Don't win the war till I get there!"

Bucky turned around, saluting him before walking off with Christiane.

He held Christiane even more tightly now, his head down as he tried to keep his a stray tear from his eyes. She held onto his hand tightly, leaning her head onto his shoulder as they walked into the bright lighted night. The amber luminescence casting gold reflections, a single drop on Bucky's cheek.

* * *

Steve sat on the examination bed, looking to the doctor whispering out the curtain.

He turned around, "Wait here."

"Is there a problem?" Steve sat upright, nervousness rising.

"Just wait here," before he left him alone in the room.

Steve looked to the sign about lying on enlistment forms. He jumped down, scampering to get his things just as an Enlistment Officer stepped in.

Another man walked in, turning to the officer, "Thank you," as he left. A woman walked behind the man, clipboard in hand.

"Anya?", Steve whispered, eyes in shock.

Anya stayed still, her eyes acknowledging him as Erskine looked between the two before continuing to Steve, "So, you want to go overseas. Kill some Nazis."

"Excuse me?" he put his head to the side.

The man outreached his hand, "Dr. Abraham Erskine."

"Steve Rogers," he shook the doctors hand, looking to Anya.

Erskine moved to the side to Anya, a ghost of a smile on her lips, "This is my assistant, Agent Geneviève Anya Bougourd. But I see you already know each other?"

"One of Christiane's best friends," Anya spoke, her smile growing slightly wider though she tried to keep herself professional.

"Good good," Erskine chuckled, picking up his file, flipping through the pages.

"Where are you from?" Steve leaned over, trying to see what Erskine was writing.

"Queens. 73rd Street and Utopia Parkway. Before that, Germany. This troubles you?" he looked up through his glasses.

Steve quickly shook his head, "No."

"Where are you from, Mr. Rogers? Mmm? Is it New Haven? Or Paramus? Five exams in five different cities," he flipped through the pages.

"That might not be the right file," he leaned in closer.

"No, it's not the exams I'm interested in. It's the five tries. But you didn't answer my question. Do you want to kill Nazis?", he flipped the file closed, adjusting his glasses.

Steve looked to Anya, then back to Erskine, "Is this a test?"

He nodded, a little surprised by his question, "Yes."

Steve took a breath in, looking to Anya then to Erskine, "I don't wanna kill anyone. I don't like bullies. I don't care where they're from."

Erskine gestured for him to follow out of the room, "Well, there are already so many big men fighting this war. Maybe what we need now is the little guy, huh? I can offer you a chance."

"I'll take it." He tried to keep up with the doctor and Anya.

"Good. So where is the little guy from, actually?" Erskine looked to Anya.

Anya smiled, looking to Steve to which he straightened up as much as he could, "Brooklyn."

Erskine handed back his file, stamping it. "Congratulations, Soldier. Geneviève will let you know the details."

The doctor walked away, leaving Anya and Steve alone. Anya pulled him to the side.

Her voice hushed and rushed, "I'm sorry I couldn't tell you,"

"I understand," he smiled gently to her, "Does Chrissy know?"

Anya let out a shaky breath, "She's about to be in it. She's been training as an agent these last few months."

His eyes flew open wide, "Does Bucky know?"

Anya shook her head, "We couldn't tell anyone. The SSR brought us here away from France, it's part of the deal."

Anya turned them around as a group of Enlistment Officers walked by them. Her voice was low, quiet, "Go home, Steve. Take the key under the floormat at our place, I'll meet you back there after I'm done."

Steve nodded, taking the file into his jacket as Anya quickly hugged him tightly, before she walked away, going to a waiting Erskine as he waved in the distance to Steve.

* * *

Moments deafened by the music, careful steps and light touches of skin. An electric danced between them, unsaid words and emotions.

Bucky had pulled her off the dance floor abruptly, eyes wild as he led her outside. They walked hand in hand to the subway station, standing in a crowded train so close yet without saying a word to each other.

Christiane pulled him by the hand up the stairs, turning around to face him as she fumbled for her key in her purse. Bucky couldn't resist, months away from her, with only hours spent with each other yet a promise to each other to spend their lives together.

His hands went to cup her face, pulling her up to him as he kissed her softly, gentle bruises to their lips as he back away, looking to her.

She pulled him by his necktie and collar, their lips crashing to each other, a tension building slowly being let out with each touch between them. Bucky pried his tongue gently to her lips, slipping his hand up into her hair, pulling out the ribbon that held her braid together. He shuffled the strands between his fingers, gripping and massaging to her scalp, Christiane's lips opening to him. With the kiss deepening, he pushed her against the door, quickly slipping his hand down her side to her leg as a way to release the tension building in him, only driving him wilder. He took a breath, Christiane catching his lower lip as she pulled away, looking at him through her lashes. The little height difference between them made Bucky able to lift her leg, smoothing his hand over her thighs as she pulled him closer to her. Her hands fumbled to his hair, trying to hold under the cap. Bucky smiled in the kiss, taking his cap off tucking it under one arm before he pulled away, Christiane quickly turning around to finish opening the door.

As the door opened, Bucky pulled her in closely again, tossing the cap into the dark void of the apartment, both hands holding her by her waist.

Christiane turned around, putting a hand over Bucky's hand as she pointed quietly to the sofa, Steve sleeping like a rock. They quietly took off their shoes at the door, lining them up at the wall.

She took his hand, both tiptoeing in their socks through as they reached Christiane's room. Bucky stepped in, turning to face her as she quietly closed the door, turning to him.

She pulled him close to her, smoothing her hands over his uniform until she pulled off his jacket, going for his necktie slowly. Bucky watched her, taking in the way the moonlight cast her skin like pearls, her hair and eyelashes dark.

His hands went to hers, helping to take off his shirt and belt.

Bucky stood shirtless in her room, his eyes looking to hers asking for permission. Christiane took his hands in hers, moving them to her waist before she moved hers to his shoulders.

He pulled off her cardigan, moving to unbutton her shirt until he hesitated, looking back at her.

"Bucky?", she whispered, a hand softly holding his cheek as he leaned in, eyes closing.

He kissed her palm, taking it in his hands and he held hers to his heart.

"We can't do this, not yet. I, you're..."

Christiane nodded, "Not ready, like doing this would be like the last thing we'd do together and you think you won't be coming back."

Bucky nodded, "I made a promise to you, that I'd come back to you." He leaned in, his lips trailing to your neck giving soft kisses, "Trust me, I want to do it, Christiane. But I can't help shake the feeling. I want it to be right, the right place and the right time. I want you to decide when you are ready."

He pulled away, forehead against hers, "I am yours, everything, my whole life is yours, Christiane."

She closed her eyes, taking his face in her hands before kissing him on his forehead softly, taking him to sit at the bed as she got her pajamas, taking the spare pajamas Steve and Bucky kept in the house in case of late nights, throwing one to Bucky. Christiane went to her bathroom, closing the door as she washed her face, changing in her night clothes to come out seeing Bucky changed, standing by the door.

"I'll go sleep outside with Steve then," he smiled to her, opening the door quietly.

"Bucky?" she whispered out.

He turned back to her, unmoving like a statue.

"Do you want to sleep beside me tonight?" She couldn't believe what she was saying, mentally hearing her Baba shouting at her about how disgraceful an unmarried woman sleep with a man. To be fair, she had seen Anya do it several times since they moved to Paris with friends but nothing more, Anya heart was with Loki.

She blinked again, seeing Bucky approach her as he took her hand, pulling her to the bed.

"You're sure you're okay with this?"

She nodded, getting under the covers beside Bucky as she scooted closely to him. Her head rested on his chest, his arm around her.

"I love you, Bucky." she whispered, her eyes closing. She tried to remember how it would feel, to be close in the arms of the person she loved. She prayed for him, asking her family and the All Father's to keep him safe. She hoped to see him again.

"I love you too, Christiane." he whispered back, kissing her head softly before feeling his eyes close.

* * *

Christiane shifted, feeling an empty space beside her. Her eyes flying open, adjusting to the still dark room as she realized Bucky wasn't beside her.

"Go back to sleep, it's still early" he whispered behind her, dressed in uniform and cap.

She jumped out of bed, running to get a skirt and shirt, "I've got to send you at the docks!"

Bucky tried to open his mouth in protest only to have Christiane push her jacket in his arms as she went behind the bathroom door.

They walked together, the morning air still fresh and cold. Their footsteps clicking on the pavement in sync, arms around each other.

She could hear the crowds of soldiers already, the smell of petrol and the sea wind. Men started to gather in the makeshift tents to put down their names to board the ship, a bundle of US Army grade clothing given to them in another duffel.

Christiane stood still, crowds of brown uniforms walking past her. Her heart raced, it ached.

"Hey," Bucky took both her hands, "Look at me, doll." He smiled, boyish under the big army cap.

Her eyes moved to his, taking into focus.

"Tell me about a star, a star to remember you by," he squeezed her hands, his eyes searching deeply to her.

She breathed finally, moving from her statue-like episode. "You know Ursa Major already, the Big Dipper?"

He nodded, smiling the same bright smile, "I remembered every star you ever told me about." He beamed, proud and confident.

Christiane smiled, starting to feel more comfortable around her. Bucky knew what effect it would have for her to come with him, the realization for her to have to say goodbye and him to her.  
She continued, "The edge of that, put your thumb up like this," she tiptoed a little to get to Bucky's eye-level, "And that's Polaris, the northern star, it'll always guide you north."

Bucky took her hand down, pulling her in closely, his arms around her, warm and safe as he whispered to her, "I'll imagine it guides me home to you."

The ship blew its horn, indicating boarding. Men waved to their loved ones, their children as they turned their backs, waving to them.

Bucky breathed shakily, resting his chin on her head, a soft whisper against the crowd, "I wish we had more time."

"We will," she felt a sob coming, trying to stifle it back, "You better come back to me James Buchanan Barnes or I'll come get you over there myself."

He laughed, trying to hide back the unevenness of his voice, "Yes ma'am."  
Bucky rested his head on her shoulder, trying to take in as much as possible in the embrace. His mind wandered to the night before; it was love. He could only love her with every breath, blood and fiber of him, he thought.

"I love you, go," she pulled away, kissing him on his cheek quickly, holding back tears and the choking feeling in her guts.

His whisper felt like a ghost, the warmth of his breath on her neck before brushing away with the sea wind, "I love you, Christiane."

He brushed his hand through her hair, to rest his palm on her face before walking backwards. His other hand saluted to her, trying to appear brave and confident. His eyes bore love and fear, taking a final look at her before dispersing into the crowd of soldiers.

Christiane stood there until the boat left, sailing away as it became smaller and smaller until she couldn't recognize the figures on the ship anymore. She walked back home, the sun still rising painting the sky a magnificent orange. She held on tight to the ring.


	19. Chapter 19

**April 1943**

"Hide it," Anya looked over at her sister, eyes gesturing to her engagement ring on her finger.

Christiane gingerly took off the ring, taking it through the ring's hole to hang onto her dog-tag necklace.

The sister's and Peggy sat in a jeep, driving on the dusty road at Camp LeHigh.

Peggy turned around from the front seat, "Well, lets do this, ladies," as the jeep halted, the women walking to the group of men exercising.

"Recruits, attention! Gentlemen, I'm Agent Carter. This is Agent C Bougourd and Agent A Bougourd. We supervise all operations for this division," she looked to him sternly, not moving a muscle in her face.

"What's with the accent and frogs, Queen Victoria? Thought I was signing up for the U.S. Army," a man stood up, taking a look at the girls head to toe.

"What's your name, soldier?" Peggy looked to him unbothered.

"Gilmore Hodge, your Majesty," he smirked, eyes wandering up and down her.

"Step forward, Hodge."

Hodge took a step forwards, looking over his back to the rest of the recruits.

"Put your right foot forward."

"Mmm… We gonna wrassle? Cause I got a few moves I know you'll like."

Suddenly, Peggy punched him hard and quick in the face as he backed away, gripping his face just as Colonel Phillips drove up.

"Agent Carter," he looked to her with a nod before looking to the sisters, "Agents Bougourd," his eyes squinting as he leaned back to Erskine behind him muttering, "It's confusing me."

"Colonel Phillips," the women stood straight, eyes up.

"I see you're breaking in the candidates. That's good!" as her walked over to Hodge, "Get your ass up out of that dirt and stand in that line at attention till somebody comes tells you what to do."

"Yes, sir." Hodge stumbled up.

The Colonel paced slowly, eyeing the recruits, "General Patton has said that wars are fought with weapons but they are won by men. We are going to win this war because we have the best men…", his eyes drifting to Steve as he stuttered, continuing to talk, "And because they're gonna get better. Much better. The Strategic Scientific Reserve is an Allied effort made up of the best minds in the free world. Our goal is to create the best army in history. But every army starts with one man. At the end of this week we will choose that man. He will be the first in a new breed of super-soldiers. And they, will personally escort Adolf Hitler to the gates of Hell."

* * *

Christiane was into the hood of the jeep, examining the engine, Peggy beside going through paperwork as Anya looked down at her paperwork.

 _"Pick up the pace, ladies! Let's go! Double time! Come on! Faster! Faster! Move! Move!"_

"Ah, the recruits are here," Christiane looked up, seeing dust flying to a group of men running to the flagpole before going back to the engine.

"Squad, halt! That flag means we're only at the halfway point. First man to bring it to me gets a ride back with Agent Carter and Agents Bougourd. Move, move!"

The men scrambled up, one on top the other.

"If that's all you got, this army's in trouble! Get up there, Hodge! Come on! Get up there! Nobody's got that flag in 17 years! Now fall back into line! Come on, fall in! Let's go!" The drill sergeant shouted as the men stood in line behind him, Steve trailing in behind as he walked to the flagpole, "Get back into formation! Rogers! I said fall in!"

Steve tugged at the pin, the flagpole giving way to a clank on the floor. The women turned around, trying to hide a smile as Christiane jumped into the drivers seat, starting up the jeep.

He handed the flag to the sergeant, walking past open jaws, "Thank you, sir."  
Steve climbed in, tipping his hat to Peggy as Christiane put the jeep into gear.

* * *

"Faster, ladies! Come on. My grandmother has more life in her, God rest her soul. Move it!" Peggy shouted to the men as Christiane walked on the other side monitoring.

Anya walked behind the Colonel and Erskine, looking to the recruits.

"You're not really thinking about picking Rogers, are you?" Phillips looked around to various other trainings.

"I am more than just thinking about it. He is the clear choice. What do you think?" he turned to Anya.

"I agree," she nodded quickly, trying to remain as neutral in front of the Colonel.

"When you brought a ninety pounds asthmatic onto my army base, I let it slide. I thought, what the hell? Maybe he'll be useful to you, like a gerbil. I never thought you'd pick him."

"Up. Jumping jacks." Christiane spoke to the arrival of the group.

"You stick a needle in that kids arm and it's gonna go right through him," looking at Steve grimacing.

"Come on, girls." Peggy huffed.

"Look at that. He's making me cry."

"I am looking for qualities beyond the physical."

"Do you know how long it took to set up this project?"

"Yeah, I know."

"All the groveling I had to do in front of Senator What's-His-Name's committees?"

"Brandt. Yes, I know. I am well aware of your efforts."

"Then throw me a bone. Hodge passed every test we gave him. He's big, he's fast, he obeys orders. He's a soldier."

Anya interjected, her eyes still on the training, "He's a bully."

"You don't win wars with niceness, doctor. Pass me a grenade, Bougourd."

"You win war with guts," he threw the grenade over to the group, "Grenade!"

The soldiers quickly scattered hiding, as Peggy and Christiane sprinted to cover only to have Steve jump on top of it, covering it with his body.

"Get away! Get back!"

An officer spoke out, "It was a dummy grenade. All clear. Back in formation."

Steve unclenched himself, looking to Erskine and the Colonel.

"Is this is a test?"

"He's still skinny," the Colonel muttered before walking away.

* * *

Steve walked back to the bunk quarters as Christiane ran up to him, textbooks in her arms.

"Steve!"

"Agent Bougourd," he straightened up.

"It's fine, no one is around," she looked to the surroundings, "I'm sorry I couldn't tell you sooner, and I didn't have the chance to tell you here," she walked beside him, her eyes down.

"You did what you had to do, Chrissy." his smile gentle, understanding.

"You're not mad?" she asked, stopping outside the quarters.

"I could never be mad at you. Anya explained everything, but does Bucky know?"

She shook her head, "He couldn't know."

Steve breathed in, looking around the training grounds, "Look at us now,"

"Everything's changed so quickly," she sighed, taking in the quietness of the camp after training hours.

* * *

Zola trotted into Schmidt's lab, suddenly startled by a light turning on.

"Is there something in particular you need?" his voice low as he sat covered behind a portrait, the artist's hand shaking.

"I understand you found him," Zola continued, determining whether to look elsewhere or to Schmidt.

"See for yourself." He spread photographs of Erskine on the table, looking to Zola's slight crease in his forehead. "You disapprove."

Zola waved his hands, "I just don't see why you need concern yourself. I can't imagine he will succeed." His eyes quickly looking nervously at Schmidt, "Again."

"His serum is the Allies' only defense against this power we now possess. If we take it away from them, then our victory is assured."

"Shall I give the order?"

"It has been given."

"Good." as Zola turned to exit.

"Dr. Zola," the sounds of a light switching on, "What do you think?"

"A masterpiece."

* * *

"Comfortable?" Erskine leaned over the chamber.

"It's a little big. You save me any of that schnapps?"

"Not as much as I should have. Sorry. Next time. Mr. Stark, how are your levels?"

"Levels at 100%."

"Good."

"We may dim half the lights in Brooklyn, but we are ready as we'll ever be." Anya noted from her station.

"Agent Carter? Agent Bougourd? Don't you think you would be more comfortable in the booth?"

"Oh, yes. Of course. Sorry."

"Good," taking a microphone and tapping it, "Do you hear me? Is this on? Ladies and gentlemen, today we take not another step towards annihilation, but the first step on the path to peace. We begin with a series of micro injections into the subjects major muscle groups. The serum infusion will cause immediate cellular change. And then to stimulate growth, the subject will be saturated with Vita-Rays."

He turned to Stark at ready, "We will proceed."

A hum started around the lab, a orange light combing from Steve's chamber.

"That's ten percent. Twenty percent. Thirty. That's 40 %.", Stark read off.

Anya looked to her controls, "Vital signs are normal."

"That's 50 %. Sixty. Seventy.", he looked to the chamber, a sudden scream as the vita rays seeped into Steve.

Erskine bolted to the chamber, shouting at him, "Steven!"

Peggy and Christiane stood, watching in shock. "Shut it down." Peggy shouted.

"Steven!" Erskine pounding on the chamber.

"Shut it down!" Christiane shouted.

"Kill the reactor, Mr. Stark! Turn it off! Kill it! Kill the reactor!" Erskine looked over to Stark manning the controls.

"No! Don't! I can do this!" A voice came from the chamber.

"Eighty. Ninety. That's 100 %." Stark read off, the energy overloading the reactor cutting the hum off to silence.

"Mr. Stark?" Erskine gestured to the chamber as Stark came over, opening it to reveal Steve bigger and stronger.

"Steven. Steven." Erskine shook him, his eyes opening.

The Colonel jumped at his feet, "The son of a bitch did it."  
Peggy and Christiane running down to him.

"I did it." Steve breathed, looking around in a daze.

"Yeah, yeah. I think we did it." The doctor smiled, looking around to Stark and Anya as they gathered around him.

"We actually did it." Stark breathed out, finally a weight off his shoulders.

Peggy went up to him, a hand quickly touching his chest before hiding away, "How do you feel?"

"Taller." Steve breathed again, getting accustomed to his new self.

Christiane looked to him in confusion and curiosity, "You look taller."

Suddenly, an explosion detonated from the observation chamber, throwing debris smoke into the lab. A man ran, gun in hand as he shot Erskine into the chest.

"Stop him!" He felt the bullet puncture, quickly letting himself down as Peggy and Christiane ran after him.

The man jumped into a getaway car, both Peggy and Christiane taking aim with their pistols until Steve shoved them to the side, disorientating them.

"I had him!" Peggy shouted at him as he sprinted.

* * *

Anya sat by Steve, taking vials of blood, "Think you got enough?"

"Any hope of reproducing a program is locked in your genetic code. But without Dr. Erskine it would take years."

"He deserved more than this," he breathed out.

"If it could only work once, he'd be proud it was you," Anya placed a hand on his arm, pulling the needle out as she handed him a cotton bud to stop the bleeding.

Senator Brandt paced on the other side of the room, an eye weary to the Hydra tech submarine in the room, "Colonel Phillips, my committee is demanding answers."

"Great. Why don't we start with how a German spy got a ride to my secret installation in your car?" He snapped at the Senator before going over to Stark working on the submarine, Christiane taking measurements around, "What have we got here?"

"Speaking modestly, I'm the best mechanical engineer in this country. But I don't know what's inside this thing or how it works. We're not even close to this technology."

"Then who is?" the Senator asked.

"Hydra. I'm sure you've been reading our briefings." Phillips snapping back.

"I'm on a number of committees, Colonel." he brushed him off.

Peggy stood by, her eyes tense on the senator, "Hydra is the Nazi deep science division. It's led by Johann Schmidt. But he has much bigger ambitions."

Phillips continued, "Hydra's practically a cult. They worship Schmidt, they think he's invincible."

"So what are you gonna do about it?" the senator glanced.

"Spoke to the president this morning. As of today the SSR is being retasked." Phillips announced, stern to the senator in front of him.

Peggy looked up, "Colonel?"

Anya stood, walking to Peggy eyes on the Colonel then to Christiane and Stark behind him, "Sir?"

"We are taking the fight to Hydra. Pack your bags Agent Carter, Agents Bougourd. You too, Stark. You're flying to London tonight."

"Sir, if you're going after Schmidt, I want in." Steve stood by, towering everyone with his new height.

"You're an experiment. You're going to Alamogordo." The Colonel bit back.

"The serum worked." Steve replied, in all diplomacy and sternest.

I asked for an army and all I got was you. You are not enough." he turned his back, leaving the room without another word.

The Senator put a hand on Steve, pulling him to a table, scattered with newspaper headlines, "With all due respect to the Colonel, I think we may be missing the point. I've seen you in action, Steve. More importantly, the country's seen it. Paper. The enlistment lines have been around the block since your picture hit the newsstands. You don't take a soldier, a symbol like that, and hide him in a lab. Son, do you want to serve your country on the most important battlefield of the war?"

"Sir, that's all I want."

"Then, congratulations. You just got promoted."

* * *

Anya and Christiane scrambled to their apartment in Brooklyn, packing whatever personal belongings they had into the SSR-grade metal boxes for safe keeping while they would be in Europe. They had already cleaned up Steve's apartment, the box already on its way to an SSR storage facility.

Christiane picked up photographs from her bedside, walking to the living room where the boxes waited, "We're finally going back," she muttered under her breath.

"Are you scared?" Anya asked, picking up a scarf given to her by Stark as she put it in the box.

"I am, I…I don't know if I can do this, Anya." Christiane stopped, sitting on the floor breathing hard. She took the engagement ring from her dog-tags, putting it back in its box and placing it in a wooden box filled with photographs. She couldn't risk losing it in the field.

Anya went by her sister, arms around her as she kissed her on her head, holding her tightly, "Yes you can. You've been training for this. I'm scared too, poulette, but I know what we're about to do, going back to Europe, we're doing it to take back our home. Can you imagine? We could go home one day without the war because of the sacrifices we make."

"I'm not like you and Peggy," she muttered again, taking Anya's hand to stand up as they closed their boxes with little belongings in them save photographs, trinkets from France and their time in Brooklyn

"You are brave, you follow your heart. You can do this Christiane."

They picked their boxes up, taking a final look at the apartment before Christiane looked up to the mirror by the door, Anya standing behind her.  
She noted their resemblance, a sense of hope coming to her as she took a single nod, confidence rising, "I can do this."

Stark waited in a car ready to drive to the airfield, their lives changing at that moment.

The Bougourd sisters were going back to Europe.


	20. Chapter 20

**Author's Note** : Hello! Hope you're enjoying the story so far! Reviews are always appreciated, would love to hear what you think!

So here we are; hope you enjoy this long chapter. We've finally made it to Captain America: The First Avenger.  
Kiara x 

* * *

"We should have been able to say goodbye to Steve," Christiane muttered, fastening herself into the seat as Anya sat opposite her. Peggy made the final rounds on the cargo before running up the door, taking a seat beside Christiane.

She leaned into the cabin's alley, shouting down to Howard in the cockpit, "How are we looking?"

He flipped a switch, one headphone on his ear, trying to hide a smile, "Five minutes to taxi and ten to take off. You might want to look out the window."

Anya looked out her side, suddenly undoing herself from her seat, "Holy cow,"

"What is it?" Peggy startled demanded.

Anya turned around, a smile on her lips, "It's Steve."

The women ran down as quickly, Anya and Christiane embracing him tightly in a hug.

"Steve, can't breath!" Christiane tried to breath out as Steve engulfed them back in a hug, still getting used to his new strength.

"Sorry," he pulled back, shyly smiling. "I didn't agree with the Senator and the Colonel not letting us say goodbye to each other.

His eyes moved to Peggy, standing behind the sisters, a nod and shy smile, "Agent Carter."

Peggy returned the smile, her cheeks reddening at his smile, "Mr. Rogers."

"Please, call me Steve," he smiled, trying to hide his reddened cheeks.

"The Colonel's a bit of a sore one," Anya rolled her eyes.

"Anya!" Christiane hushed her sister, looking around.

"Oh pft! He can't do anything about it. We follow orders but we're heading back into the war and they want us in France. We know the terrain better than anyone, we follow our own rules." She swatted her hand in the air, "Steve, you are family to us. I'll be damned if I don't get the chance to say goodbye to you."

Steve looked to Christiane, his eyebrows raised in amusement, Peggy trying to stifle a laugh, "We'll see what he'll have to say if we don't make it in time for the rendezvous landing in Reykjavik."

He laughed softly, his eyes meeting Peggy's briefly as he felt his cheeks redden before looking back to the sisters, "I guess I'll have to let you go now then."

Peggy extended her hand out, shaking his hand, "Steve."

"Ma'am," he took her hand, before she turned, walking back to the plane.

Christiane let out a shaky breath, pushing Anya to say goodbye first.

"Oh you always do this, Christiane! Making me say goodbye first!"

"You know I'll be a crying mess, Anya!"

"Now you two, no stubborn bickering when I'm not around." Steve put his arms around the two, his new height looming the two of them.

"You take care of yourself, Steve." Anya hugged his waist, before putting a hand on his cheek, "Remember, we love you."

"Me too," he smiled back, looking to Christiane as Anya backed away.

"No more fights, Steve, you promise?" Christiane's voice shaking, her hand going to wipe her cheek quickly.

"I wouldn't have you beside me," he chuckled. "Don't win the war before I get there, Chrissy."

She laughed, "You said that to Bucky." Her eyes semi-serious, a mix of longing and duty.

"You give him a big hug from me when you see him," he smiled to her reassuringly.

"If I see him," she put her head down. The war was vast and wide, regiments all over Europe. It'd be a needle in a haystack if she'd see him again.

"You will." He hugged her tightly, "Fate has a way. And knowing you two, you're inseparable. You'll always find a way back to each other."

"I needed to hear that," she let out a shaky breath, a gulp to ready herself for the words. "I'll miss you, Steve."

"Me too, I'll see you soon?" he pushed her away gently, Anya taking Christiane's arm to the plane.

She nodded gently, a small wave as Steve saluted her before the sisters turned around to the awaiting plane.

* * *

 **June 1943**

It had been two months since they arrived in the European theater. Having landed in London, Stark stayed behind to set up the new headquarters as the Bougourd sisters and Peggy were assigned as field agents. Peggy and Anya worked on strategy while Christiane worked as a mechanic. The three went undercover on missions, looking to gain information in towns and relay back the information for troops and bases.

Christiane was usually left to herself back at base as she worked in the mechanics tent on artillery and the transport vehicles. She befriended most of the mechanics, with some staying away from her thinking it was unladylike to have a woman working with such heavy machinery. Word would pass through camp as Anya would glare down the men till they avoided bugging Christiane.

"Taka-san (さん), can you pass the 3-inch screwdriver?"

"When is your お姉さん (o-nee-san big sister) coming back from the scouting?," he handed her the screwdriver as he stood by looking into the jeep's engines.

Takafumi was a young Japanese-American man from California. He became Christiane's closest alley in the mechanics tent, always keeping an eye out for her. The two exchanged each other's mother-tongues, between French and Japanese.

"Sometime tonight after lights out, they're getting some information from the Bruges Resistance cell whether we can move bases soon," she looked up, adjusting the headband on her head, keeping her hair up.

"Where would you go Christiane-san?"

She reached for the hood's lid, closing the lid, "Back to France, I suspect they'd send me out again to scout for regiments out in the field to bring back to base."

"You'd dress like a _garçon_ (a boy) again?"

Christiane chuckled, "はい (hai, yes), just like when I was a courier in the Resistance cell in Paris."

" _Tu es très grande_ (You are very tall)," Taka laughed, "I remember the men of the 80th Infantry were very surprised when they found out you were a woman!"

"My hair's gotten longer since then, it might be harder to hide now," she touched at the tips of her hair coming out of its bun.

"You always find a way, Christiane-san." he took her toolbox to the back of the jeep, storing it. "Come, let's go for _dîner_ (dinner)"

She laughed, ありがとう (arigato, thank you),"

" _Pourquoi_ (for what?)"

"For keeping me company," she smiled as they ducked out the tent's flap to the mess hall tent.

"You are like 妹 (imoto, little sister) to me. I am happy to be your company. The other men do not think nicely of you,"

" _J'apprécie beaucoup Taka-san, merci_ (I appreciate it a lot Taka-san, thank you)"

"You have someone waiting for you back home, Christiane-san?" he asked, passing her a metal plate as they got food scooped onto their plates.

"I've got a fiancé, but he's also somewhere in the war here," she smiled to herself softly, thinking of Bucky. "What about you Taka-san?"

They sat at a table, the same spot where Peggy and Anya usually joined them.

"I have a wife and a little boy at home," he took out a photograph from his pocket, handing it to Christiane with both hands as she took it with both as well.

"What're their names?" she asked, smiling to the baby, cheeks round and smiling in his mother's arm.

"Her name is Kumiko 久美子, and our little one is called Reo れお"

"レオは何歳ですか？How old is Reo?"

" _Il est six mois_ (He is six months)"

" _Il est très mignon_ (He's very cute)"

" _Mignon_?"

" _Mignon_ means cute"

Takafumi nodded, trying to remember the word.

"可愛い Kawaii (cute)"

Christiane repeated the word, trying to perfect the pronunciation.

"And your fiancé's name?" he took a sip of water, his eyes searching in hers.

"Bucky," she smiled to herself, a small warmth in her heart igniting thinking of him.

"You eyes are full of love, Christiane-san, yet full of protection. He is your イキガイ ikigai (a reason for being; the thing that gets you up in the morning)"

"We need something to get us up in the morning in parts like these," she looked to the darkness of the forest.

" _Le soleil se lève demain_ (The sun rises tomorrow)," he smiled reassuringly to Christiane.

The two of them laughed, taking a bite into their food.

Just after lights out, Christiane took her round around the basecamp. She adjusted her bun tightly, brushing her hands on her half done-up dark green jumpsuit with a white t-shirt. She'd adopted a more relaxed uniform when she spent her time at base, fixing engines and the vehicles.

"Christiane," Peggy came walking out from a tent, stopping in her tracks.

"You're back!" Christiane smiled, giving Peggy a quick hug.

"Come back to the tent, we've got some things to go over," Peggy pulled her by the arm, her smile gentle yet concerned.

"What did you get from Bruges?" Christiane pushed the flap of the tent, Anya sitting by a table as she got up and hugged Christiane tightly before leading her to the table, a map laid with markers.

"We'll need to move bases in the next few days, they don't want too many troops in one region." Peggy walked around the table, her eyes on the markers.

"We are here," Anya pointed to a green marker. "Troops are coming to fight for Bruges," she pointed to the blue markers surrounding the town. "And _les vaches_ (the cows) are coming from the north from the Netherlands," she pointed to the red markers.

"SSR headquarters has requested we move to France," Peggy stopped, sitting at the table as she studied the routes.

Christiane stood up looking at the routes, Anya drawing a path through Roubaix on the border. "The SSR want us to go dark. Where do they want us to separate with the base?"

"At the border. The base would be supported by another regiment coming from Lille and we'd have to find our own way to the base in Huard, there'll be an agent there who'll give us intel," Anya pointed to a small dot in the central of France.

"How much time do we have to get there?"

"A week," Peggy ran her hands through her hair, trying to think of a way.

"We could do like we used to do when we were in Paris? It got us anywhere easily." Christiane looked to the two.

"Are you sure you want to do that again?" Anya looked to her, an expression of pure concern on her face.

* * *

 _Anya tucked Christiane's hair under a bell-boy cap, wrapping a cloth binding her chest her flat as possible. Christiane hid the message written from the St. Germain Resistance cell in the bindings, and three knife in its sheath slotted between her back and the bindings for the Marais Resistance cell._

 _"You be careful. If they stop you, you look them in the eye and show them this," Anya pulled out identification papers with Christiane's alias, Hugo Dubois.  
"Stand tall," she handed Christiane a bag with baguettes, several weapons concealed inside.  
"Louis was right, you'd pass as a boy right away like this."_

* * *

 **Somewhere in France**

"Jones, what's our location now?" Dum Dum Dugan let out a yawn as he stretched his legs, his back against the trunk of a tree.

"We should be in what they call Mignage," he studied the map, eyeing at the pronunciations.

"Which means?" Bucky stared up to the night sky, trying to find a star through the tree's canopy.

"We should be at the rendezvous point in a week. Last I heard, they said someone's coming to get us. Top secret base and all," he muttered, folding up the map and tucking it into his pack.

"What're you looking up there for Barnes? See anything interesting?" Dugan glanced at him, taking a sip out of a canister.

"Just a star," he breathed out, his mind thinking to Christiane. He prayed she was well, thinking of her back in New York.

"He's thinking about a gal' back home probably," Gabe Jones leaned in to whisper to Dugan, the two of them nodding simultaneously.

"He's been doing that every night, looking up to the stars and putting his darn thumb up," Dugan passed the canister to Jones. "You don't think he's actually using the stars to see where we are, right?" Dugan scratched his head, taking up his bowler hat.

Bucky looked out the corner of his eyes to Jones and Dugan, a small smirk on his lips, "You do know I can hear everything you're saying you punks."

The two froze, passing the canister slowly over to Bucky before Dugan leaned closely to Jones, both nodding approvingly, "He's got to have a gal', we'll get it out of him"

The two jumped at the sound of their radio cackling quiet noise, Jones shoving the earpiece on.

" _Églantine, églantine, vous m'entendez?_ (Rose, rose, do you hear me?)"

" _Églantine_ ," Jones picked up the radio handy, his face serious as men gathered around him, waiting to hear the radio.

"Every rose has a thorn," came the voice again.

"This is 107th, please proceed, over,"

* * *

She held her old clothes in her arms, looking herself in the mirror in a blue farmer's summer coat, white shirt, a cream scarf and pale red trousers. Peggy braided her hair into a crown, pulling her hair out slightly as Anya placed a bell-boy cap on her, hiding the majority of her hair.

"All done," Peggy and Anya placed a hand on her shoulders, looking to their reflection in the mirror.

Christiane took a deep breath, looking back at herself. She was tired of having to do the boyish alias, going into the forest as a boy but she knew the risks if she was caught by the Axis as a woman.

" _Tous passe bien?_ (Everything is going well?)" the farmer's wife they stayed with at the edge of the forest passed by the bathroom door.

The women walked over the the kitchen table, the farmer's wife packing fruits, bread and crackers into her backpack.

Anya pointed to the map spread across it, "Once you're past the horseshoe on the tree," she looked towards to forest behind the house, "Go west."

"They should be in radio proximity by now, should we try?" Christiane looked to her small radio on top the kitchen table, taking a quick bite of the bread and honey the farmer's wife made for them for breakfast.

"Give it a go," Peggy looked to the radio, hoping their plans were still in action.

"Le signe est églantine? (The sign is rose?)" Anya looked to the farmer's wife, taking out a note from her apron as she looked down, nodding.

" _Ils sont passés par ici hier. Le garçon,_ (They passed by here yesterday. The boy,)" she tried to remember his name, " _Jones! Il m'a laissé cette note à vous donner._ (Jones! He left me this note to give to you)"

Christiane cleared her throat, lowering her voice.

" _Églantine, églantine, vous m'entendez?_ (Rose, rose, do you hear me?)"

They waited briefly, radio noise cackling back at them.

" _Églantine_ ," came an American accent in French.

"Every rose has a thorn," she spoke, her eyes focused.

"This is 107th, please proceed, over,"

Christiane felt her heart drop, her face turning white as she turned to Anya and Peggy in shock.

She felt tears, tears of happiness start to come, joy erupting from her heart as Anya and Peggy quickly hugged her quickly, looking to the radio.

She cleared her throat again, "107th, how far are you from the horseshoe tree?"

"West, by the shore, rendezvous at nightfall, out" the voice came again.

"Copy. Out." She put the handy down, suddenly laughing and smiling to herself.

"I can't believe it," she breathed out, looking to Peggy and Anya hopeful.

"Well I'll be damned," Anya chuckled.

"What will you do when you see him again? Christiane, you can't break your cover until you get to base." Peggy sipped at her tea.

"I won't," taking a shaky breath in, "I've got to avoid him until I can change out of," her hands showing herself, "this."

"Just until you get back to base," Anya took a bite of the bread, stopping mid-bite as Peggy and Christiane looked to her. "What?" she muffled before swallowing her bite, "Be reasonable, you'd want to run and kiss him the moment you see him."

"Anya!" Christiane shot her a look.

She shrugged, taking up Christiane's backpack as she got up from the table, Peggy following behind. "I'm just saying, after that last night in New York," she smirked, eyebrows raised.

Christiane looked back in shock and horror, her mouth open to protest but nothing coming out.

"Alright you two, enough boy talk," Peggy marked two circles on the map, "This one is where they are and this one is where base is," she hugged Christiane, tucking the map into her coat pocket.

"If there's anything, you fight and you run. Good luck my little one," Peggy hugged Christiane, tilting her cap to the side.

She slung the backpack over her, hugging Anya and Peggy, thanking the farmer's wife.

"You be careful, and be smart," Anya hugged her tightly, " _Je t'aime_ poulette (I love you little chicken)".

" _Je t'aime aussi_ (I love you too)" as she stepped out past the fence, turning around to wave to them before disappearing into the forest.

Christiane walked for a few hours, looking up to the sky to check the sun's position as it started to lower closer to the horizon, turning her surroundings orange and amber. She walked in silence, humming to herself, maneuvering the terrain as it started going uphill. By the time she reached the top, Christiane looked over the horizon, seeing the first tints of twilight seeping with the sunset. She looked down, finding a small pond, the distant chatter of men down below. Christiane pulled up her scarf over her face, readying herself for the walk down to the base.

She walked down the hill, slowly and quietly trying to soften her boots against the forest floor. She could hear the voices, see men through the trees by the shore as they set camp.

She heard something clicking behind her, immediately knowing the sound of a gun behind her.

"Hands up," the voice came, as she turned around, arms in the air. "Who are you?"

She turned around, looking to a large man with a bowler hat and mustache.

"The contact, Jones is waiting for me." She lowered her voice, looking at him behind her scarf.

"Show your face," he lowered the gun, eyes still set on her.

She lowered her scarf, taking out her fake identity papers to Dugan as he looked to the photograph.

"Hugo Dubois, huh? French Resistance?" he handed back the papers, smacking her on the back as he urged her to the camp.

"Yes," she put her scarf back up.

"Not a big talker are you?" he joked to her as she looked to him without a word, "I guess not. Jones! Here's your contact."

" _Églantine_ ," he smiled, a nod to her. "When can we get moving?"

"As soon as possible. Base is expecting you by morning. It's better if we walk by night," she replied, her eyes scanning the group of men for Bucky.

"Great, we can be packed up in 10 minutes. I'll give the word to Sergeant Barnes" a soldier walked past him as he grabbed his arm, "Pass the word around will you? We leave in 10 minutes." Jones smiled again, before turning around.

"Come along, buddy. I'm packed anyways," Dugan slapped his backpack as they looked to the pond, several men packing their belongings.

Christiane nodded, looking to the pond, her mind trying to focus on the route to the base she memorized during the day. They sat in silence until Jones returned, waiting for the rest of the men to group around.

"You, Jones and Barnes are in charge here?" she asked, her eyes still set on the pond.

He shrugged, "Someone's got to do it."

"What's our next move, Dugan?" came a voice that made her heart beat faster, a churning in her stomach.

Dugan and Christiane stood, "Hugo here is going to take us to base." He cheerily smacked Christiane again in the back. She mentally noted to herself to avoid standing next to Dugan.

Christiane looked to Bucky as he talked with Jones. She saw his cheeks slightly sunken, the wear of war on his face with heavy bags under his eyes. He looked like he had lost weight and muscle, his clothes hanging loosely on him.

Jones turned to Christiane, "Ready, _Églantine_?"

She nodded, taking the lead along the shore heading south into the forest again.

They walked in silence, Christiane scanning the forest as she used the moonlight to read her compass. She occasionally pulled down her scarf from her face, taking a breath of fresh air. As soon as someone from behind their lead came up to them, she'd put her scarf back up.

"We headed in the right direction?" Jones walked alongside her, breaking the silence after a few hours walking in the dark

She nodded, putting the compass back in her pocket. "You've got the time?"

"Three minutes past two in the morning," he squinted to his wrist watch. "I've got to ask, how long have you been in the Resistance, Hugo?" .

"Since 39. In Paris."

"That's a long fight. What brings you here then?"

"My sister." she replied, silently hoping Anya and Peggy made it to base already. "Do you have any siblings?"

"I've got a little brother back home with my ma'," he smiled before looking over his shoulder to a group of men led by Hodge circling Dugan and Barnes. "Oh god, not again," Jones muttered under his breath.

"Look what Costello handed me," he put cards into Dugan's hand who raised his eyebrows.

Jones looked back to Christiane shrugging, "Hodge's an idiot. Keeps boasting around the amount of lady photos he's got."

Christiane looked over her shoulder, watching Dugan show the cards to Bucky.

Bucky shook his head, turning his head, "No thanks."

"What's the matter Barnes, don't like ladies?" Hodge slapped him on his shoulder.

Barnes smiled a smirk, "I've already got a lady."

Dugan's mouth fell open, glancing up to Jones as they both had looks of boyish astonishment on their faces.

"What's her name, hmm?" Dugan elbowed him.

Bucky looked down, kicking some leaves as he walked along, "Christiane," looking back up to Dugan with a finger pointed to him, "And that's all you're asking!"

Christiane tried to stop a laugh, before turning back around to the route.

Hodge looked up to the sound of laughter, moving to Dugan's side, "Who's that?"

"Hugo, the French Resistance contact," Dugan leaned to Hodge as he walked faster, trying to get to contact.

"Froggie, hey! It's been hours, where's the base? Hey! I'm talking to you! " a voice came from behind her as she put her head down, walking beside Jones.

"Hey!" the voice came aggressively, pulling her scarf with a force from behind as it fell from her face, her cap rolling to the floor, the pins coming undone as her braid fell to her shoulder.

Christiane turned around, her eyes focused on the man she recognized as Hodge.

"Agent Bougourd," Hodge gasped, his eyes wide as he took a step back in retreat to a halt, salute at his brow.

"You're not Hugo?" Dugan looked to her with confusion, halting behind Hodge.

She took a breath in, looking to Bucky who looked at her with wide eyes, lips parted to say something but no sound came.

Jones looked to her, "What's your name?"

"Christiane," her eyes still set on Bucky's, the men looking between the both of them.

Dugan looked even more in shock now to Bucky and Christiane, "Your Christiane?"

Bucky nodded, his face as white as a ghost as he took steps towards her, his hand finding hers as he pulled her to the front, walking in front of the regiment.

They walked in silence for another hour, his hand holding hers tightly as the rest of the regiment followed behind them. She looked to him, the tightness of his jawline.

"Bucky," she finally whispered.

He looked to her, pain and disbelief in his eyes, "Christiane, why are you here?" His face changed to that of concern, eyes searching hers, "How'd you get here? Please don't tell me you joined the army," he whispered.

"I didn't," she looked down, "They put Anya and me in the army since the beginning," whispering back.

Bucky ran his hands through his hair, shaking his head, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"We were sworn to secrecy since the day we arrived," her eyes still on her boots, taking one step after another.

Bucky felt a lump in his throat, "It's not fair." He stopped, taking Christiane's face gently into his hands, not caring at the eyes on them behind. "You deserve all the happiness, all the safety and protection."

"You're not mad?" Christiane whispered, eyes searching his.

He chuckled, pulling her in tightly to him as his arms wrapped around her body, "I was, but you know I can't be angry at you. You're the whole world to me. I'm just sad I couldn't keep my promise to you."

"Bucky," Christiane looked to him, a hand on his cheek grazing the stubble moving to his lips as he tried to protest, a finger over his lips.

He took her hand, moving it from his lips before he pulled her in to kiss her softly. "God how I thought a hundred times over how we'd see each other again, but not like this."

"Me neither," she rested her forehead against his, "I'm sorry."

"No," he shook his head, kissing her on her forehead, taking her hand as they walked again, "The nights we spent hiding in the mud and fighting. I'm the luckiest man in the world to see you again."

She felt a small smile on her lips, feeling Bucky pull her in closer to his side. He took up her left hand, looking for the ring.

"Where's the ring?" he looked to her eyes wide.

"I had to put it in storage back in New York with the army. I was afraid I'd lose it," she guiltily looked to her hand.

"You're still marrying me, right?" She felt Bucky's lips against her cheek.

"You're stuck with me forever," Christiane kissed him back.

* * *

The 107th arrived at the camp by first light, Peggy and Anya sitting by the front on guard.

They both smiled seeing Bucky and Christiane walk hand in hand followed by the rest of the 107th. Anya of went to Bucky, hugging him tightly.

"It's good to see you, Bucky," she muffled into his shirt.

"You too, Anya," he hugged her back.

"Christiane told you everything?" Anya pulled away, looking to Christiane.

"You came to Europe two months ago, Steve's fine in New York and she never wants to dress as a boy ever again," he chuckled, looking between the two sisters.

"Come on, let me take you to the medics tent to check you out." Christiane took his arm, leading him away to a waiting Dugan and Jones.

"And afterwards?" Bucky leaned in to her ear.

"Breakfast," she kept walking pulling him along.

"Your sister got a fella', Christiane?" Dugan tagged along beside them.

"Don't you dare," she laughed, looking over her shoulder to Anya and Peggy walking back to their post.

"My girl's a heck of a fighter, Dugan. I wouldn't if I were you," Bucky elbowed Dugan back, a frown on his face.

"Darn it," Dugan muttered.

* * *

A week had passed since the 107th were stationed at base, a welcome break for all the soldiers.

Anya and Peggy continued their strategic work, plotting the next move while Christiane worked back on the jeeps, Bucky by her side all day long.

"You leave at nightfall, right?" Christiane shut the hood down, going to the wash basin to clean her hands.

"Trek to the Resistance airbase before we cross to Italy," he leaned against the wall, watching her.

"What?" Christiane stopped, looking to him suspiciously.

"God you're so beautiful," he laughed, cheeks reddening.

She blushed, looking down mumbling, "Thank you." She looked back up, glancing around, "Do you have anything to do right now?"

"No? Why?" he straightened up, a twinkle in his eyes, a smirk appearing as he took a step closer.

The air went static, electric between them as he felt his heart beating, jumping and turning.

"Easy sergeant," Christiane put a hand on his chest, her eyes darting around before taking his hand, pulling him with her to the back of the mechanics tent into the tools room.

Bucky turned, walking backwards as he pulled Christiane by her hands, his eyes set on hers.

His back hit the back of a table, hands shaking as they splayed to hold her waist; a hand moving up to her cheek while the other moved lower to her hip.

Christiane leaned in, only to have Bucky quickly turn her around against the wall, lips inches from each other.

Her hands went to his shirt, moving up under the hem to touch his chest, Bucky pulled his shirt over his head, letting it to the floor.

"Christiane?" he whispered, the blues of his eyes still bright against the darkness of the cave.

She took his hands, leading it to her shirt as they pulled it over her head. Christiane stood in front of him with the binding around her. She felt the coolness of breeze against her back, the warmth of Bucky's hands gently touching her skin.

He slid his hands up to the back of her head, intertwining his fingers with her hair as he kissed her gently at first. Her hand went to his hair, tugging gently while the other guided his hand to her leg, lifting it by his side as he gripped it, pushing himself closer to her.

Christiane pulled his lower lip slowly, only to have Bucky pull her closer, driving him crazy, deepening the kiss as they came up breathless.

Bucky backed away, hands holding Christaine's as she sat on top the table, legs wrapping around his waist.

Bucky breathed, taking her in, smiling as he kissed her.

Anya was looking for Christiane, hearing noises from the back of the tent, she pushed the flap only to find a shirtless Bucky and Christiane.

" _Agh mes yeux!_ (Agh my eyes!)" Anya laughed hollering sarcastically causing the two to jump apart, Bucky scrambling for their shirts covering Christiane.

"Relax! It's me. Thank God it's me and not anyone else or you'd be getting an earful," she laughed trying to grip at her sides. "Never would I have imagined ever walking in on you and your fiancé!"

"Anya!" Christiane shot her a glare, tongue sticking out.

"Oh relax! I washed you as a baby!" she waved her hand in the air. "A truck just came in from Vichy, they need a mechanic. And Dugan is looking for you, Bucky."

"Thanks Anya," Bucky finally replied, his cheeks red from embarrassment as she her left.

They walked together, trying to put the recent actions away, their hands touching, static coursing still.

Bucky turned to Dugan's voice in the distance shouting his name.

"I'll come find you before we leave."

Christiane nodded, closing her eyes as Bucky kissed her gently on her head before walking to Dugan and Jones.

She took a deep breath in, trying to keep her mind at ease to her racing thoughts - she wondered how long it'd be till they could be together again. Christiane opened her eyes, forcing to take steps and put away the thoughts as she focused on her job.


	21. Chapter 21

**Author's Note:**

Another huge thank you for reading along! I have to admit I feel like I've skimmed over the storyline and may be going too quickly through the timeline. What do you think?

* * *

 **August 1943**

Her hands moved in taking apart a radio, putting the pieces each in front of her before reassembling it back together with speed and ease. Christiane looked from her desk, watching Peggy and Anya walk around moving markers on a map.

"Agent Bougourd!" Colonel Phillips came through the tent flap, righteousness in his step.

"Yes sir," Anya and Christiane stood and spoke together in unison.

Phillips looked at the two, letting his guard down for a moment as he muttered, "Not again..."

He looked back up, his eyes on Anya, "Agent A Bougourd," he emphasized, "Your file says you speak Italian."

"Yes sir," she replied.

"What about you?" He turned to Christiane.

"A little, sir," she cleared her throat, coming to stand with Peggy and Anya.

"Good enough. Carter?" He turned to Peggy.

"Conversational, sir." She replied smoothly.

"Good," he turned to Anya and Peggy, "The two of you are staying here and will train and teach agents till October where you will join Agent C Bougourd with Stark."

He turned to Christiane, looking her up and down in her jumpsuit, "You are going to Azzano, Italy. They need more mechanics and you're the quickest one we have here. You leave tonight, pack your things."

Anya took a step forwards to him, "But sir, the agreement was we could stay toge..."

"I don't want to hear it. This is war and it takes whatever it can." He turned, leaving the three in silence.

Christiane sat back at the desk, her legs felt like jelly as she steadied herself with a hand on the tabletop. She looked in blankness to the half-done radio, trying to process the news.

Peggy took a deep breath, trying to massage her temples from the raging headache before she looked back to the markers on the table.

"Peggy?" Anya broke the short silence, a hand on Peggy's shoulder.

"This war," she shook her head gently. "They agreed to keep us together, and yet this happens," she looked to Christiane.

Christiane looked to Peggy and Anya, still trying to gather her thoughts.

"Christiane, say something," Anya looked to her little sister.

"This is it, isn't it?," her voice caught in her throat, a lump in her chest as she spoke quietly. She stood, starting to pace the room, fiddling with the rune bracelet.

"You need to survive," Peggy stepped in, taking her arm.

Her eyes looked to Peggy's then to Anya's, "We've been lucky, too lucky."

"Christiane," Anya took her sister's face into her hands, forcing her to look at her.

"Peggy's right, you need to survive. Luck has nothing to do in this war. It'll be two months and then we'll be with you again." She brushed her thumb over her sister's cheek, looking up to the green eyes that searched hers.

"You're the quickest damn engineer they've got in the SSR and probably the army. They need you, as much as they need us here."

She nodded, "I know," she whispered.

Christiane knew what she had to do, but she couldn't help the sense she was standing in uncertainty.

Her eyes moved to Anya's, glancing to Peggy beside her, "I'm scared." She looked down admittedly, feeling Anya and Peggy hug her tightly.

"It's okay to be scared," Anya pulled away, tears welling in her eyes as she tried to put on a strong face, being the responsible big sister, "We're both scared."

Peggy chuckled lightly, trying to sooth the two sisters she felt like her own family, "We'll meet again," she whispered between the three.

 **Later that evening**

Around her, three other mechanics trekked past. Christiane turned around, managing with her duffel on her shoulder and her toolbox in one hand. Her other waved to Peggy and Anya as they stood by the edge of the base camp, waving back to her until she disappeared into the darkness of the forest.

They arrived to the nearby Resistance base by midnight, fellow Frenchmen around the airfield nodding to her as she nodded back, one of them coming to help her haul her gear.

" _Merci_ (Thank you)," she smiled to the young teenage boy taking her duffel over his shoulder to load onto the plane.

He waved to her from the window as the plane started taxiing, quickly taking off into the night.

Amongst the snores of the other mechanics, Christiane looked out the window down below watching the people disappear, the shadows and outlines of the forest fade through clouds. It felt like the beginning of it all, that fateful day in Paris when Peggy helped them escape. She couldn't help but sense déjà vu. Christiane closed her eyes, trying to get whatever rest she could, fiddling with her bracelet again as she felt herself slip into sleep.

Anya looked over to Peggy on her side, sleeping as the last of the oil lamp dried out. Amongst their tent outside, croaks of crickets in the forest quietly orchestrated a midnight symphony for the base.

Anya tried to think of Christiane, wandering and hoping that she was safe. She took a deep breath in as she rolled onto her other side, trying to close her eyes.

It started with a faint whisper, turning into a roaring wind by her ear as she tried to open her eyes only to be blinded by a bright line and kaleidoscope of colors flying past her. Anya landed with a thud in a garden surrounded with Capri-blue waters, suddenly getting up, her hand going for her pistol only to find it missing. She looked down to herself, dressed in a grey-silver armor with a blue cape by her side.

"Anya, it's so good to see you again," came a voice behind a pillar, as Anya immediately knelt to the floor, an arm against her knee, head bowed down.

"Your Majesty, Queen Frigga," Anya quickly said.

"No need to bow to me, my child. Come here," she stepped forwards to Anya, taking her up as Frigga hugged Anya.

"With all due respect, why have you summoned me? Is this about...?"

She smiled, tucking a stray hair from Anya's face as she looked to her eyes. The stark resemblance of her mother with Vili's eyes passed down each generation.

"This isn't about Loki, this is about you," she adjusted the cape, letting it drape on a shoulder.

"I gifted you the Valkyrie's blessing a few months ago. You never got to wear the armor, the last Valkyrie armor ever made," as she dusted off Anya's shoulders and arms.

"Queen Frigga, I don't understand,"

"You have the heart and fight of a Valkyrie. I see the courage in you, to fight for what is right. History and the future have many plans for you, it's best you be prepared." She took a step back, guiding Anya to sit on steps.

"Not many get to know their future, but the Fates have shown me. You will bear this armor into a battle that will come. Your forefathers and mothers will protect you through space and time, but time come, the gift will be given to your sister. She has much in front of her."

"I don't..." Anya furrowed her brows.

"Do not question the Fates. You have no need to worry my child, the AllFathers will protect you for you are a Princess of Asgard." Frigga took Anya's hands in hers.

For a moment, Anya felt a sense of comfort, the way her mother used to hug and hold her. Her voice came like a whisper, "No one's ever told my sister and I we were princesses of Asgard."

Frigga took Anya's rune bracelet, covering it with her hand, "Keep this safe, it has great power that was passed down from Vili. It will guide the way for you, Anya."

"Why are you telling me all of this?"

"I have seen the Fates too, and know some parts of mine. I just want to best prepare you, Thor and Loki."

"Loki told me you knew my mother?"

"Maria was like a little sister to me. We spent time together every time she came. It was very difficult after she passed, and I am truly sorry I did not help you sooner. You know how Odin is," she rolled her eyes, shaking her head.

"What did King Odin say?" she looked to to Frigga, her eyes set on the waters extending to what seemed like infinity.

"He wants to forbid any further contact with Midgard, which would include all of Vili's descendants. He hasn't fully gone ahead with his decision," as she started smiling, "otherwise you and Loki would not have met all those times in secret in the courtyard."

"You knew?" Anya smiled, remembering to the times they were both young, running around the tree through the square as Loki showed her Asgard.

"Since the first time I met you all those years ago, you make him incredibly happy, that's all a mother wants for her children."

"But his rage, his jealousy," Anya's voice dropped, trying to mask her disappointment.

"Will pass eventually. He is lost and I cannot even help him. It will take time. He has much to learn," she smiled reassuringly.

"I don't have time like you. You are gods, and I am human."

Frigga smiled, resting a hand on Anya's cheek as she started to shimmer away, as well as everything around her, "You must be strong, Anya. Sweet dreams."

Anya opened her eyes again, still in the same position she was in. Her mind tried to think what she had been dreaming but came up blank. Her mind tried to wander to Asgard only to settle with darkness. She scratched her head, before turning onto her other side, blaming herself for not getting enough sleep.

* * *

 **30 September 1943**

"Help! We need help!" a shout came from outside as all heads looked up, more shouting coming from the edge of the forest.

Christiane looked up from the jeep she was working on, dropping all her tools as she ran to the crowds of men flooding into the camp covered in blood and sweat.

"What happened?" she swung a soldier's arm around her shoulder as she tried to ease his limping. Nurses and doctors started darting between soldiers, taking stretchers and pulling them to the medic tents.

"Last night's battle, there were lights. Took out a third of our regiment!" the man hollered his final sentence as Christiane and another soldier lifted him onto a stretcher.

"What regiment are you?" Christiane looked to the soldier, watching the limping man get carried away.

"The 107th ma'am," he spoke, trying to catch his breath. "Ma'am? Are you alright?"

Christiane felt her blood go cold, her heart felt like it had stopped as her legs started sprinting, shouting his name at the top of her lungs.

"Bucky! Bucky! Where are you? Bucky!"

She reached the edge of the forest as the last of the 107th walked past her. She panted, looking to the small crowd of soldiers. Her hand grabbed out to a passing soldier, turning back to camp, her eyes frantically searching his, "Is this all of you?"

"There's more men coming. We got split up. Some were taken," the man supported her, as she stumbled over a tree's root.

"Taken where?" she asked him, her eyes never leaving his.

"I don't know Ma'am," he looked back to her apologetically. "Who are you looking for?"

"Barnes, James Barnes. You might know him as Bucky?" she could feel her heart quickening, trying to catch her breath up.

"Last I saw him, he was being rounded up with the others."

She nodded quickly, taking into realization, "Take yourself to the medics tent, get yourself some food, thank you," her hand briefly touched his arm before she felt her legs sprinting in the soft wet mud.

Christiane ran to the strategics tent, peering in first to see if anyone was there. She bolted inside seeing it empty, trying to see whatever maps she could find showing the 107th's movements in the surrounding battleground.

A map on a table showed a circle drawn 48 kilometers from the Italian border in Austria. She took to memory the road to there. Arrows showed the movement of the 107th over the last few months, their final battle in a field north of base.

Christiane snuck out the tent, making a mental note to herself to quietly collect items - she was going to go find them, survey the area and report back. She went going about her day, fixing engines and radios while passing the ammunition and weapons tent, sneaking an extra pistol and bullets. At lunch and dinner, she managed to sneak some fruits with her, putting all the items into her backpack hidden inside one of the jeeps she was fixing earlier.

Christiane passed by her tent, taking up the clothes the farmer's wife had given her to disguise herself as a boy into the backpack, and straps of cloth as she started binding her wrists and hands with them in case she got into combat with anyone. Scrambling for a pen and paper, she wrote a note, leaving it on her crib.

She continued back to the mechanics tent, sneaking the keys of a motorbike into her pocket as she tucked her hair up, stuffing the bellboy hat in the bag.

Her eyes scanned the mechanics tent, waiting for the last person to leave as darkness fell outside camp. Soon, silence descended apart from the quiet chatter from tents and the medics tent. Christiane slung her backpack over her, wheeling the motorbike out through the back of the tent, pushing it up into the forest quietly. She knew that nobody would notice she would be gone until the next morning or later, she was a loner at the camp just trying to get her work done.

After 15 minutes walking north, she hit a road, quickly glancing left to right as she changed into the boy's clothes, fastening her cap with pins to her hair tucked in as she kicked the gear of the motorbike, driving quietly through the night. She knew once she reached the bridge, she would have to ditch the motorbike, hiding it in the forest with her bag and make it by foot to where the circle had indicated across the border into Austria.

* * *

 **1 October 1943**

Her mind was blank, only focused on whatever attempt of a mission this was. She wanted to know where the 107th was and bring back a clearer location back to camp in the hopes a major rescue operation could take place. She knew she couldn't fight it out alone, yet she kept driving, feeling the cool wind against her face, flying her jacket behind.

Once reaching the bridge, she switched the headlights off, taking the keys out as she wheeled the bike into the forest, hiding shrubs on it. Her backpack hung from the handlebar, as she took one last look at the concealed motorbike, taking a breath and pulling up her scarf over her mouth and nose, walking deeper into the forest.

After an hour of walking, eating three plums from her pocket, light casted against the forest, ghostly shadows projected against the trees. Her eyes hurt, trying to adjust against the bright lights coming from a facility.

Christiane ducked behind a bush, as a group of soldiers marched in front of her. She gasped quietly, looking through holes from the bush; they weren't the enemies they had been fighting all along. They were the ones Phillips had told them all so long ago back in Brooklyn yet she never had the chance to go against them. Hydra.

She darted in the darkness, trying to make the perimeter of the facility. Her eyes watched soldiers march, prisoners outside lugging machinery.

Christiane's hands shook, anger fueling her as her skin prickled. She stood, running to go to the same spot she began in to take a final look before going back to base only to feel a contraption clasp onto her, electric surging as she felt as if her heart was going to explode. She fell to the floor, trying to breath, choking on each inhale and exhale, her vision blurry. Her eyes refocused, seeing two masked soldiers haul her to her feet, her hands clasped in front of her in cuffs as they dragged her into the facility.

Bit by bit, she regained her vision, coming to a realization of where she was and what they were doing. They pushed her, electric sparking from the end of a pole behind her as they walked through what looked like a factory until they brought her into a dark room, giant cages keeping men.

She looked to them, their eyes seeking her, cage by cage with ten men per one. They reached a row, her head pushed down by one of the soldiers, a voice shouting to her from the side.

"No, no!" he shouted, banging on the bars of the cage.

Christiane turned in shock, trying to fight against the soldiers, "Bucky!"

"Get out of here! Please!" He started crying, feeling hot tears as he pleaded her to leave in any way possible.

Christiane kicked one of the soldiers, locking him by the neck as she pulled him down and kicked him hard. The other one scrambled for the electric pole, taking it as he pushed it into her stomach, her whole chest feeling it was on fire. She fell to the floor screaming, the man pulling her by her arms and threw her into an empty cage opposite.

She tried to scamper to the door only to be locked in. Her arm reached out the cage, as if trying to hold Bucky's hand yet they were so far from each other.

Bucky stared at her, distraught, "You shouldn't have come for us," his voice echoing in his whisper.

"I had to," she looked down guiltily, trying to block out thoughts of what the future could hold.

"Hey," he spoke, his voice gentle and soothing in his whisper, "Look at me, we'll make it out. We're going to be okay."

"What do we have here?" a heavily accented voice echoed from the end of the hall, a small man in a white lab coat walking between two guards.

"I couldn't help but hear all the commotion and it's two in the morning. How ungrateful of you, _fraulein_."

He halted in front of Christiane's cage as she scooted back to its walls, staring fiercely at the man.

"You are quite the fighter, I could use someone like you for my work."

"Don't touch her!" Bucky roared, banging the cage, his eyes set with rage.

Zola smiled, clasping his hands together, "Well well, what do we have here? Acquaintances?"

Christiane spat at his feet, " _Hurensohn_ (Motherfucker)".

Zola turned to her, impressed, " _Du sprichst Deutsch._ (You speak German.)".

Zola flicked his hands to her direction, a guard opening Christiane's cage as he kicked her in the stomach, forcing her to cough over and kneel on the floor.

"Stop! I swear to God when I get out of this hell I'll tear you to pieces myself," Bucky banged again on the cage, Dugan holding him back as he tried to reach out and grab the doctor.

Christiane coughed, trying to even get breathing again as she slowly stood up, her eyes filled with rage to the man.

" _Bring sie zur Wartezelle, wir haben viel mit diesem kleinen Mädchen zu tun_ (Take her to the holding cell, we have much to do with this little girl)".

The guard dragged her out of the cage, pushing her to the ground and pulled on her hair to make her look up to Zola. He held her chin, an evil smirk on his face, " _Du wirst ein ausgezeichnetes Experiment sein, Fräulein._ (You will be an excellent experiment, girl)".

Christiane tried to pull away, hearing Bucky's shouts beside her, "Take me! You leave her alone." He cried out pleading.

Zola turned to him, amusement on his face, "Squad leader, you are brave. Unfortunately, you are next on my list. Take him too."

A guard snatched Bucky out, cuffing him beside Christiane. Zola turned, walking back in front as the soldiers kicked them up, forcing them to follow.

Bucky tried to hold her hands, at least her fingers as they walked together, Bucky's voice a whisper for only the two of them.

"I love you."

She searched his eyes, full of fear and concern, "I love you too."

They were thrown into a dark cell with a tiny hole in the wall, whatever moonlight faintly luminating the cell. The door closed behind them, as they tried to find each other, holding one another tightly.

"Christiane, how are you here? Does anyone know you're here?" Bucky held her face gently in his hands, searching her eyes, the green, blue and gold fighting with each other somehow comforting him.

She shook her head lightly, "I thought I could come here alone and survey the area," she whispered back. "I'm an _idiot_."

He pulled her in tightly to him, kissing the top of her head softly, "God you're so stubborn," he breathed out. "But you're not an idiot. Just too brave to admit it."

"How long have you been here?" Christiane asked, taking his hand with hers, intertwining.

"Maybe a day? I don't know. We haven't eaten in two, our supplies ran out. We were supposed to make it to camp but we got caught first," he looked down guiltily, squeezing her hand for reassurance.

"Bucky," she turned around, sitting in front of him on the floor as she took his other hand into hers, "Are you scared?"

He nodded quietly, "Can you hold me?"

Christiane took him into her arms, his back against her chest as she rested against a wall.

"Are you scared?" he whispered.

"Yeah," she breathed, hesitating with her words, "I am," she spoke softly, just audible to the two of them.

He rested his head onto her shoulder, "What were you thinking? Going out alone like that? If anything happened to you I'd never forgive myself."

"I was thinking about you and your company. I was responsible for you all at one point to get you to base safely, and I failed in doing that now." She stared straight ahead, trying to hold back the crack in her voice.

"You don't have to carry the whole weight of the world on your shoulders," he took her hand, kissing it softly to his lips.

"I know," her whisper barely a sound.

"Do you think someone will come find us?"

Christiane felt tears at her eyes, trying to hold them back, "I don't know."

She hoped, the note she left behind would be read soon.

Amongst the faint moonlight, the coldness of the dark cell, she began to hum a melancholic tune, brushing his hair out soothingly till Bucky slept. After a while, Christiane closed her eyes, trying to think about her sister, Peggy and Steve.

Sometime during the night, Bucky woke, easing his weight off her as he took her into his arms and they slept.

Deep down, Bucky feared the future. He feared whatever abyss of the unknown that the future had in store for them. He held onto her tightly, like it might have been his last day.


	22. Chapter 22

**Author's Note:** Trigger warning for this chapter with needles and torture.

* * *

 **October 3 1943**

 _Hydra base 48 kilometers from Italian border in Austria. Gone to survey and will report back._

 _If I don't, tell Anya, Peggy, Steve and Howard I love them all._

 _Christiane Bougourd_

"What do you mean she's not on base?" Anya shouted, throwing her hands in the air to the base sergeant.

"Agent Bougourd, please calm down," he put his hands out, trying to ease her as she paced in the strategics tent.

"I knew she'd be trouble," Philips muttered as he looked to Peggy then to Anya, a finger pointed to her, "You and I are going to have a talk later."

"She's right here," Anya pointed to the map, "We can go rescue her and everyone else now!"

"You do not give orders here, I do. We are not equipped and have more injured men than we can count. We are staying put until reinforcements come. Now, I have more letters to write to families about their dead or missing sons and both of you have a job to do." Philips glared at Anya, walking out the tent.

Anya bit back her urge to shout at Philips, her fists in balls as she continued pacing around the room. She felt the edges of her nails digging into her palms, releasing her hands after Philips left the tent.

* * *

Christiane's eyes were set on the metal door of the holding cell. It's glint against whatever light seeped in through cell.

They had been in the cell for two days, without food or water except for the palms of rain Christiane and Bucky managed to get from the rain outside the hole in their cell. They spent the time mostly sleeping, trying to conserve whatever energy they could.

It was the second day, the silence of the room disrupted by a loud creak against the silence. Bucky jumped up, standing by Christiane's side.

" _Guten morgen Fräulein und Sergeant Barnes,_ (Good morning Lady and Sergeant Barnes)," Zola ceremoniously entered the cell, lab coat on as he cleaned his glasses on the tip.

Bucky moved to the front, defensively to whatever Zola wanted from them.

"Good, you're both awake and ready," the scientist tilted his head to gesture the guards to come in, " _Nimm ihn._ (Take him.)"

Christiane grabbed Bucky as the soldiers tried to pull him away, fighting in their grasps with whatever strength he had left in him.

" _Nein! Bitte_. _Nimm mich stattdessen_ (No! Please. Take me instead)," she cried out, trying to hold onto Bucky.

" _Du hast ganz schön Feuer, Fräulein. Was für ein Glück habe ich, ein männliches und weibliches Exemplar zu haben!_ (You have quite the fire, Fräulein. What luck I have to have a male and female specimen!)," Zola smirked as a soldier came by her side, butting her in the head as she felt darkness deep into her vision, collapsing to the floor. Zola walked by her, taking a large needle as he stuck it into her arm.

" _Du solltest mir dafür danken, dass du so menschlich bist. Du wirst seinen Schmerz nicht hören müssen._ (You should thank me for being so humane. You won't have to hear his pain.)"

The last thing she saw was Bucky fighting against the grasps of the soldier's, a needle in Zola's hands as he jabbed it into his neck, seeing Bucky go limp. Her eyes closing.

 _Dum Dum Dugan turned to the sudden piercing of screams he knew came from Barnes. He had never heard anything so guttural coming from someone ever in his life. It went on for hours and hours, from sunrise to sunset. The screaming stopped at nightfall, an unsettling silence._

Christiane awoke again to be strapped to a chair, her eyes adjusting to the darkness of the lab save for a blue glow coming out of a machine.

"Wonderful, you are awake. I must say that the experiment went successfully with Sergeant Barnes. Let's see what I can do with you," he smirked, evil and coldness in his eyes as he approached a control panel, switching it on, pushing buttons. A bag of blue substance was being fed into her skin at her elbow, just above her arm wraps. It burned, her insides feeling like it was tearing itself apart and reconnecting at the same time.

"This will only hurt a little."

Christiane tried to move her arms, seeing it strapped to the arm rests, a rotating machine coming down over the temples of her head.

The blue coming from the machine glowed brighter, an alien hum surrounding the room as she felt heat, piercing every part of her skin.

"You and the sergeant are lucky recipients of my serum. Of course, I had a brilliant idea overnight to try you with a little extra something." Zola walked around the lab, his eyes always on Christiane's every move and scream as the serum bag sucked empty.

The machine hummed louder, the full force of blue glow shooting down the machine to Christiane. She tried closing her eyes, blocking out the glow of the machine as it grew brighter, Zola scrambling for his goggles.

He let out a hysterical laugh, clasping his hands together his hands moving to the control panel as he pushed a lever, the hum and brightness growing to maximum capacity. She felt a burning sensation from the bracelet under her arm wraps, a glow coming from her wrist.

Every bit of Christiane wanted to die right in the chair, to end all suffering but as she opened her eyes again, in anger, in fear, she took in whatever energy was surging through her, pushing it out as it backfired the machine, causing sparks to short circuit, breaking disks and pipes. Blue waves of energy flew out from Christiane, a wind pushing Zola against the wall as he cowered under the table out of sight, Christiane's screams falling into silence as she felt herself drain out, limp.

She managed to look up to the ceiling as a rainbow light flew past her, showing stars into infinity, her eyes closing as she felt herself being lifted from the chair into darkness.


	23. Chapter 23

Bucky awoke back in the cell, blood coming from his ears as he tried to regain consciousness, his head banging against itself.

His body ached, drained from whatever the scientist had done to him. His arm went out to the side, grabbing for Christiane, only to fall empty hitting the floor.

He looked around, finding the cell empty his ears registering the screams from somewhere in the facility he recognized as Christiane's.

Bucky felt himself push off the ground, running to the metal door as he banged it with every bit of strength he had left.

"Stop it! Stop! Please!" his voice broke, tears flooding this cheeks as he heard Christiane's screams.

Eventually, his legs have in, slumping against a wall as he gazed at the dust fragments dancing in the cold wind and moonlight.

The lock turned, as the door opened quickly, guards throwing Christiane's limp body into the cell before pushing a tray of bread and a glass of water.

Bucky ran to her, taking her in his arms. He looked to Christiane, limp in his arms, eyes closed as he shouted to the now closed door of cell, "What did you do? Christiane! Wake up, please, wake up."

He continued to sob, burrowing his face into her hair, a hand rested on the pulse at her neck, the only sign she was still alive.

* * *

She saw her images flit past her eyes as she was surrounded by a roaring of wind and colors. Christiane saw a reflection of herself, with short blond hair. She saw herself walking in her mother's house in the French mountains. Another of herself fighting a masked man. Finally, in a barren land, screaming at the top of her lungs in pain.

Christiane opened her eyes slowly, someone pulling her by her arms. Around her, gold decorations on the ceiling, her eyes moving to a man with a sword by his side.

"Thor, quickly, get her up on the cot," a voice came as another man brought her up into his arms, placing her in a cot of soft blankets. "Loki, get her some food now."

"What of my father, Heimdall, if he finds out about this?" A voice came from the man in armor.

"You want to tell, father?" Another voice came in alarm from the man in dark green.

"He can never know. This has never happened before," the man with the sword looked over her, her eyes unable to fully register.

"But how is this possible? Did you foresee this? The sparks from her hands." The man in armor looked to her.

"She is Vili's descendant, we never imagined that any of his descendants would interact with the Space Stone. Long ago when Vili went to Earth, Odin left the Tesseract for him to hide. She's not like you, she's not a God. It's by incident she came here, only the eldest of Vili's descendants receive the gift, but this, it's early. Each generation has a different ability."

"Anya is still alive," came the voice from the man in green. Both men turned to him as he shrugged, turning his hand as a small loaf of bread appeared in his palm. "I've been making sure Anya is alright."

Christiane rolled to her side, suddenly coughing as she tried to contain the pain in her body. The man in the sword matched the descriptions of Anya's stories of the gatekeeper to the Bifrost. "Heimdall?"

The men ran to her side, as Thor knelt beside her smiling, propping her up against cushions, taking a vial from his belt as he tilted her head to drink.

"Drink, you have travelled far, little sister."

She looked to him, then to the other man, "Thor? Loki? What is this?"

"An anecdote conjured by the greatest healer on Asgard to restore strength" he urged it to her lips.

"How are you feeling Christiane?" Heimdall asked her.

She held her sides, her fingers touching the side of her head as she saw blood.

"Where am I?" Her eyes looked around, realizing in panic, "I'm in Asgard."

Thor went to a box, taking a piece of cloth and liquid from another vial as he washed away the blood from her face.

"You're in Asgard, but you're also not." Heimdall knelt beside her, unwrapping the cloth on her wrists and arms to reveal the rune bracelet.

"Thankfully you had this on you," Heimdall held the rune in his fingers, blue settling in the creases of the rune.

"You were destined to control dreams like your sister, but with your recent reaction to the space stone, it seems it chose you to come here for a reason. Did the space stone show you your future?"

"We need help back in Midgard, I am being held with Bucky as prisoners," she looked to them as Loki handed her the bread, taking a bite.

"It showed images of myself, fighting and alone."

"When wasn't there a time when you humans were not fighting?" Loki muttered as Thor slapped him in the head.

"Ow!"

"I promised Vili to prepare all of your family when it was time. I'm telling you now because our time will be sparse, and I cannot see when I will see you again. You will escape soon, someone will come for you and your soulmate. As for the gift, you must learn how to travel with your mind. The space stone has shown you a fragment of your future, not many have that ability to know their Fate. Use that knowledge wisely, little one."

Christiane nodded, finishing the bread as she tried to stand up, Thor helping her in his arm.

"How do I travel with my mind?"

"I do not know," he hesitated. "I do not even know if the gift will carry with you when you return to Midgard as Anya is still alive." He shook his head, looking to her, "By all means, you must protect the Tesseract."

"Tesseract?" she looked to Thor and Heimdall.

"The blue glowing thing," Loki crosses his arms, muttering again.

"Manners, brother. She has travelled far." Thor elbowed him.

"You must get back little one, Odin cannot know you were here." He turned to the brothers, "Both of you cannot tell a soul."

He turned his eyes back to Christiane, the glow in his eyes and hers shining, "The person you love needs you. Good luck."

He hugged Christiane, letting Thor envelope her in his arms, "I've only just met you but I hope we see each other again, little sister."

She hugged him back, moving to stand in front of Loki.

"I heard you before, how you are watching Anya. Go see her. She loves you, Loki." She put a hand on his arm, before walking to the Bifrost's edge.

She turned around, "Thank you," her eyes closing as she took a breath. Her eyes opened as she choked, coughing trying to breath.

She looked around, no longer in the cell with Bucky nowhere to be found.

She felt fear grow in herself as she backed up against the cage she was in, her eyes settling to the cage across from hers.

Dugan, Jones and the other men looked back at her, unable to say any words to the state she was in. Blood stained her temples.

Christiane turned her head quickly to the sound of screams, as she rushed to the bars, pounding and shouting.

" _Hör auf! Bitte! Halt! Lass ihn gehen!_ (Stop it! Please! Stop! Let him go!)"

She pleaded, sobbing as she fell to the floor, exhaustion taking its toll.

A few hours later, Zola inspected the cages, stopping by Christiane's.

" _Du bist verschont. Die Maschine ist zusammengebrochen._ (You are spared. The machine has broken down.)" He turned around to all the cages, announcing, "As a gift, you can hear the screams of someone still believing in freedom. You will all die here."

With that, he turned and walked away. The screams echoing against the walls as Christiane pulled herself into the corner, trying to keep herself together.

She tried to think of what happened on Asgard, all of it seeming like a dream rather than reality as she closed her eyes, trying to focus on her breathing against the screams.


	24. Chapter 24

**October 4 1943**

The screaming never stopped until sunset. Christiane sat in the corner, keeping to herself as she had to hear the screams of the one she loved. Each pause was hope deteriorating as it resumed again. Christiane hadn't slept since she awoke in the cages with Dugan, Jones and the rest of the 107th amongst other prisoners watching her.

Each sound made her flinch, trying to keep at bay the memories of Paris with the Resistance - the shouting, the heavy boots stepping on cold concrete floors. She pulled her knees closer to her, as if making herself into a ball would protect her from everything around her. Protect herself from guilt with each eye contact she made with them in a second.

Dugan watched her since they threw her into the cage alone without Barnes. She paced around, muttering to herself at first, before pulling herself into the corner, taking in the sounds of screaming before it looked like she had to block it out altogether. In glimpses, he saw her cheeks stained with tears, dark circles around her eyes.

"Pst. Psst." He walked over a sleeping Morita, getting closer to the cage's edge to hers. He couldn't bear watching her consume herself in grief and guilt.

Her eyes moved to his, focusing against the darkness.

"Christiane, right?"

She nodded, pulling at the sleeves of her jacket over her hands.

"I'm Dugan, Dum Dum Dugan," he tried to smile to her encouragingly as she nodded in return, her eyes going back to the floor, numb and empty.

Dugan hesitated, trying to think of a way to bring the girl back. He took a look at her as she laid herself on her side, back towards them.

He elbowed Jones, "Come on, that's Bucky's girl there. She looked after us at one point. She's part of us now."

"Dugan, we don't know what she or Barnes have been through up there," he looked up to the balcony where Zola and Schmidt occasionally looked out.

Morita yawned, getting himself up, "Who knows if Barnes is still alive at this point. No one's made it out except for her," he pointed his head to her direction.

Dugan slapped him in the back of the head, as Morita immediately clasped his head in pain.  
"A bit louder, why don't you?" Sending a glare towards Morita as he put his head down.

"Point is, we can't let her eat herself up like that. Barnes looked out for us, and she looked out for us too. She made sure we were safe." He looked to her, taking a deep breath.

Jacques took an eye towards her, then back to Dugan, his voice low, "Barnes did mention she is French."

"Your point?" Jones leaned in closer, pulling Dugan by his side.

"Let me try something," his accent heavily laced in French, "we Frenchmen and women are proud and victorious. Barnes said she was once in the Resistance. She just needs a little push," as Jacques got up, a hand grasping a bar on the cage as he readied himself.

"Jacques, what are you going to do?" Dugan looked between the Frenchman and Christiane.

Jacques glanced at the girl, her back towards them. He thought of the song that rallied rebellion fighters in his home country, that brought partisans and countrymen hope and that lifted the spirits of French men and women, even for just a moment. It surely had to work for this girl. He turned around to his men, "I am going to sing our country's anthem".

He cleared his throat, trying to find a moment to begin.

Dugan stood beside him, elbowing him as encouragement, "Go on Jacques, come on."

He took a deep breath, singing the first words.

 _Allons enfants de la patrie._

He paused, singing slowly but surely in his mellow voice.

 _La jour de gloire est arrivé._

Christiane's ears pricked to the sound of someone singing, goosebumps forming on her arms. She felt herself slowly getting up to face the man singing it.

He paused again, waiting for her to face him. Christiane felt her heart beat faster, a sense of hope as she stood up, getting closer to the edge of her cage with theirs. Men around looked up, suddenly seeing the girl stand for the first time, her voice loud and clear.

 _Contre nous de la tyrannie, L'étendard sanglant est levé,_

He joins her,

 _L'étendard sanglant est levé. Entendez-vous, dans les campagnes._

"Louder Jacques! Louder Christiane!" shouted Dugan, glancing between the two.

They looked each other in the eye, breathing in unison and singing together, their voices louder.

 _Mugir ces féroces soldats?_

 _Ils viennent jusque dans vos bras. Égorger vos fils, vos companges!_

Their voices grew louder, as Christiane and Jacques started smiling, tears in their eyes.

 _Aux armes, citoyens! Formez vos bataillons! Marchons, marchons! Qu'un sang impur. Abreuve nos sillons!_

The two took a breath, smiling to each other in hope as men around looked to them hopeful, their voices echoing through.

* * *

He heard his screaming stop at one point, the point in which he wasn't aware of the pain anymore. Zola had left him alone in his experimentation room, silence aching his ears.

Suddenly, he heard the voice of Jacques, the Resistance fighter who had joined the 107th in Italy. It was joined with Christiane's voice, singing loudly and clearly. His body wanted to move, to swing himself off the the experimentation be, out of the bindings and go to her, yet he stayed there, unable to move. He felt his lips start to turn, a smile forming with each verse of singing.

As the last words were sung, echoing against the cold walls of their holding, Bucky realized he had been holding his breath in, letting it out as he whispered, "You're alive." He felt his heart beat vividly, against his tired body. He wanted to go to her, to protect her, for the woman he loved and lived for. He had something to live for again after the torture Zola had put him through. No matter what Zola did to him, he would have to make it back and make it through for Christiane. He repeated to himself that he would always find her.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Zola return, a machine being wheeled in and a syringe in his hands.


	25. Chapter 25

**Author's Note:** I realize that I'm a month early on the timeline according to Captain America: The First Avenger storyline where the rescue takes places in November. Apart from that - thank you for the follows and reading along!

I'm going to try something new by associating a chapter with a song. Let me know what you think!

Here's a very long chapter for you. Hope you enjoy!

Kiara

* * *

 _Cette Chanson Est Pour Vous (Life Is A Song) - Jean Sablon_

* * *

 **October 5 1943**

The screaming stopped again around sunset, becoming routine each day they experimented on Bucky. Christiane turned herself in again, hearing his screams. Her fists were balled up, reading to fight as anger ran through her, promising herself to take down Zola for what he did to them.

Dugan looked out through the bars of the cage, an incoming guard walking over as he knocked the hat from his head.

"You know, Fritz, one of these days, I'm gonna have a stick of my own." he muttered, glaring at the guard before his eyes looked to Christiane's, equally glaring at the guard from the edge of her cage.

* * *

 **5 miles from the front**

Steve sat after what he could only put to words was a disastrous performance as his role as Captain America. He sat sketching, trying to take his mind over the worthlessness he felt in what he was doing. He felt like a puppet, a show monkey taking orders for the enjoyment of others rather than what he had always believed in.

He shifted himself from the oncoming rain, turning the ground around them into a muddy mess.

Peggy and Anya had been working for the last few days, liaison for Philips and taking turns in the night shift patrolling base. Since Christiane's disappearance, Anya had kept to herself, trying to busy her mind with work to halt the guilt from consuming her. She felt she had a responsibility, bringing Christiane into the SSR and putting her life in danger. She took a sip of hot water, trying to ease herself from the cold of the rain. As she walked to put her canister back, her eyes moved to a tall blond man behind a few boxes at the other end sketching, Peggy walking towards him.

Her eyes flew wide, realizing who it could be.

"Hello, Steve." Peggy silently walked by to his side.

"Hi," he looked up surprised.

"Hi," she smiled back politely.

"Steve?" Anya came beside, her face in shock as she went to hug him tightly before pulling back.

"What are you doin' here?" he asked the both of them.

"Officially, we're not here at all." Anya huffed out, taking a seat on a box beside him.

"That was quite a performance." Peggy sat beside, taking her hands together to keep them warm, a small smile of amusement on her face.

Steve scratched his head, hesitating with words to put together, "Yeah. Uh…I had to improvise a little bit. Crowds I'm used to are usually more uh…"

 **"** I understand you're "America's New Hope"?" Peggy continued, her eyes focused on his.

 **"** Bond sales take a ten percent bump in every state I visit." Steve recited.

"Is that Senator Brandt I hear?" Anya put her head under a hand, looking at Steve in a sisterly mentoring way.

Steve shrugged, "At least he's got me doin' this. Phillips would have had me stuck in lab."

 **"** And these are your only two options? A lab rat or a dancing monkey? You were meant for more than this, you know?" Peggy pursued, leaning in closer to him as she made him look at her.

Steve opened his mouth, hesitating to find words again.

"What?" Anya pushed on, her eyes darting to Peggy. An unsaid connection between the two trying to get it out of Steve.

 **"** You know for the longest time I dreamed about coming overseas and being on the front lines. Serving my country. I finally get everything I wanted, and I'm wearing tights." He shook his head, looking down at himself before turning startled to the sound of honking as an ambulance arrived, medics and nurses running to unload wounded soldiers.

Steve sighed, "They look like they've been through hell."

Peggy thought of a way to tell Steve, that these men were of the 107th, that Christiane had gone looking for them, that he might have lost two of his best friends. She took a deep breath, choosing to be straight forward with him. Her eyes darted to Anya's set on hers as she took a subtle nod, her eyes as confirmation.  
"These men more than most. Schmidt sent out a force to Azzano. Two hundred men went up against him and less than fifty returned. Your audience contained what was left of the one-oh-seventh. The rest were killed or captured. Christiane went out to look for them five days ago but didn't come back."

Steve looked up in shock, suddenly standing as he looked around, his lips whispering to himself, "Chrissy, Bucky."

"Steve," Anya stood beside him, her arms out to steady him.

"Come on!" He started running to the strategics tent, where Colonel Phillips sat at a desk, papers in front of him. "Colonel Phillips."

The Colonel looked up, his reaction muteless, "Well, if it isn't the Star-Spangled Man With A Plan. And what is your plan today?"

 **"** I need the casualty list from Azzano for the 107th." Steve stood straightly, trying to show authority and determination.

"You don't get to give me orders, son." Phillips pointed to him.

"I just need two names. Sergeant James Barnes from the hundred and seventh and Agent Christiane Bougourd."

Phillips pointed to Anya and Peggy, a look of disapproval on his face, **"** You and I are gonna have a conversation later that you won't enjoy."

 **"** Please tell me if they're alive, sir. B-A-R…" Steve continued.

"I can spell. I have signed more of these condolence letters today than I would care to count. But Barnes name does sound familiar. I'm sorry." He set down his pen down, taking a stern look to Steve.

 **"** What about the others? Anya's sister? Are you planning a rescue mission?" he followed the Colonel as he stood to stand by a map marked with pointers.

 **"** Yeah! It's called winning the war.," replied Phillips, barely taking a look at Steve now.

"But if you know where they are, why not at least…?" he followed him around the table.

"They're thirty miles behind the lines. Through the most heavily fortified territory in Europe. We'd lose more men than we'd save. But I don't expect you to understand that, because you're a chorus girl." He snapped back.

 **"** I think I understand just fine." Steve halted, thinking of another plan.

 **"** Well then understand it somewhere else. If I read the posters correctly, you got some place to be in thirty minutes." As Phillips waved his hand, walking in the direction of a connecting tent, leaving Steve, Peggy and Anya. Steve took a closer look to the map, finding where the men were.

 **"** Yes, sir. I do."

Anya watched Steve as he stared down at the map, Peggy's face alarmed as she tried to follow Phillips before he turned around to stop her, "If you have something to say, right now is the perfect time to keep it to yourself." As he exited the tent to another strategics tent.

Steve suddenly turned, charging out of the tent back to where they came from as he started to change, packing things into a backpack.

Anya and Peggy pursued him, trying to keep eye contact, "What do you plan to do? Walk to Austria?"

Steve looked to the two, "If that's what it takes."

Peggy shook her head, trying look at what he was packing, "You heard the Colonel, your friend and Christiane is most likely dead."

"You don't know that," he shot back, turning to Anya as she stood watching the two of them. "Anya, you've got to believe she's still alive, right?"

Anya stood there, watching the words come out of his mouth before she realized she was nodding, saying yes and grabbing a pack herself as she started putting things in. She stood by in silence too long, too shocked and scared of losing her only family left. She had to do something.

Peggy looked at the two, trying to find the best possible solution, "Even so, he's devising a strategy. If he detects…"

Steve cut in, eyes full of determination and pain, "By the time he's done that, it could be too late." As he slung the pack over his shoulder, Anya following him as she put a gun over her other shoulder.

"You told me you thought I was meant for more than this. Did you mean that?" Steve turned to Peggy as Anya started the engine.

"Every word." She looked back at him, her eyes set.

"Then you gotta let me go." He jumped into the jeep, Anya starting to put it into gear.

"I can do more than that," Peggy jumped in looking to Anya, "I know you're going with him, which is why I'm staying behind."

Anya nodded, driving the jeep forward, "Someone's got to deal with Phillips."

Peggy chuckled, "You were never the diplomatic one. Get Stark, he'll know what to do."

"That's why I have you," Anya smirked, driving faster as Steve looked between the two women confused.

* * *

Peggy shouted over the noise of the rotors, as they flew into Austria in the darkness.

"The Hydra camp is in Krausberg, tucked between these two mountain ranges. It's a factory of some kind."

Howard shouted from the cockpit, **"** We should be able to drop you right on the doorstep."

 **"** Just get us as close as you can!" Steve shouted as Anya buckled him into a parachute. "You know, you two are gonna be in a lot of trouble at the lab."

 **"** And you two won't?" She smiled, looking to Anya as she smiled back silently.

 **"** Where we're goin', if anybody yells at us we can just shoot 'em." Steve shouted back, looking back at Anya uncomfortably as she yanked the belt tighter.

 **"** They will undoubtedly shoot back." Anya shouted back to him.

 **"** Well, let's hope it's good for somethin'." He knocked on his shield, Anya taking a seat on the plane as she checked how many cases of bullets she had and a baton strapped to her leg.

 **"** Agent Carter, if we're not in too much of a hurry I thought we could stop off in Lucerne for a late night fondue." Howard chimed over, looking cheerily.

Peggy looked awkwardly to Anya first then to Steve as he put his helmet on.

Anya turned her eyes squinting to Howard, quickly making him wide-eyed and turning back to the consoles of the cockpit.

Anya rolled her eyes, "Stark is the best civilian pilot I've ever seen. He's mad enough to brave this airspace, we're lucky to have him."

 **"** So are you two…? Do you…? Fondue?" His eyes still set on Peggy.

Peggy ignored him, taking out a device from a bag, "This is your transponder. Activate it when you're both ready and the signal will lead us straight to you."

 **"** Are you sure this thing works?" he looked questioningly to her and Anya.

 **"** It's been tested more than you." Anya chuckled just as the plane took a swerve. Fires coming from below as their plane was being attacked.

Steve immediately went for the door, sliding it open as Anya tried to pull him by his jacket only to miss him by a grasp.

 **"** Get back here! We're taking you all the way in." Peggy shouted at him.

 **"** As soon as I'm free, you turn this thing around and get the hell outta here!" He shouted against the howling wind.

"You can't give me orders!" Peggy shouted back at him, watching him ready himself to jump.

He turned around, smiling to her before jumping, **"** The hell I can! I'm a Captain!"

Anya looked at him go before she looked to Peggy, "Good luck, go get our girl," she smiled to Anya as she smiled back, jumping out and following Steve.

They landed in the forest, quickly taking cover in the shadows, Steve quickly running into trucks driving past.

"Steve!" Anya hissed after him as he jumped up into one, Anya following suite behind him.

The two of them landed inside, two Hydra guards looking at them.

" _Merde_ ," she muttered.

"Fellas", Steve looked between the two.

Anya and Steve launched themselves on the guards, Steve punching and throwing him against the roof of the truck, while Anya threw him down the the floor, making sure the guard's head landed first onto the floor before Steve threw them both out.

"This is your plan?" Anya hissed at him as they were crouched inside, the trucks pulling in to their docking bays, the flap on the truck suddenly lifting to reveal another Hydra guard. Steve's shield hide the both of them as he threw it face-first into the guard, sending him flying.

"You've got a better plan?" Steve shrugged, taking Anya's hand as they jumped out, silently running into the factory, taking cover behind tanks before climbing up a roof into the factory.

They turned onto a hallway, a single door at the end of it, tapping on it as a guard approached.  
Steve gave her a nod, "Ready?"

"Give em' hell." Anya nodded back, a hand at her baton ready, slamming the door between the guard's face as Steve punched him.

The two dashed inside, hiding behind cargo as Steve brought out his pistol, Anya in the lead with her baton at ready, her footsteps cat-like before they turned to find a machine emitting a blue glow.

"What is it?" Steve whispered.

Anya picked up a small device beside it, tucking one into her pocket and handing Steve another one, "Some sort of explosive probably."

She turned, continuing taking the lead as Steve followed.

The continued up a ramp leading to a room with caged holes, looking down on a lower ground, cells filled with men.

Anya took a look down, her eyes back up to the guard walking with his back as she ran full-force - her knee up to kick him in the abdomen, her arms yanking the man forwards as Steve came around and threw him down. Anya was already searching the man for more weapons, the men in the cell standing up looking at the man and woman.

* * *

Dugan and the men turned suddenly to the sound of a thud as a man and woman stood, above their cage from the platform.

Jones scowled, looking up, "Who are you supposed to be?"

"I'm… Captain America," the man replied.

Falsworth stood up, looking equally confused, **"** I beg your pardon?"

"Just listen, won't you?" Anya spoke as she moved down the platform, climbing down opening the cages as prisoners started pouring out.

"Where's Christiane Bougourd?" Steve asked as he jumped down, unlocking the cage below him.

"Steve?" Christiane looked up to a tall blond man jumping down, turning to look at her as he rushed to open her cage.

She jumped to him, hugging him tightly. "How are you here?"

"I'll tell you later." He pulled away, turning her to look at Anya as she arrived with more prisoners.

"Christiane Gérard Bougourd, if you ever run off like…" Anya stood looking at Christiane only to be engulfed in a hug, the two sisters holding each other.

Steve smiled at the sight, turning his attention back to the men, **"** Is there anybody else? I'm looking for a Sergeant James Barnes."

Falsworth spoke, **"** There's an isolation ward in the factory but no one's ever come back from it except for her," his look pointing to Christiane as Anya shot him a glare, coming to stand by Steve.

 **"** All right. The tree line is northwest, 80 yards past the gate. Get out fast and give 'em hell. I'll meet you guys in the clearing with anybody else I find. Anya, Chrissy, get them out." Steve ordered them before starting to run towards the end.

 **"** Wait! You know what you're doin'?" Jones looked to Christiane then to Steve.

Steve shrugged, **"** Yeah. I've knocked out Adolf Hitler over two hundred times."

Dugan nodded to him. As he stood beside Christiane, slapping her on the back, "After you, Hugo," he smiled as Christiane and Anya took lead.

Anya and Christiane ran together in front, taking down the first guard as Anya locked him down, Christiane taking Anya's baton and swinging to his head as he flopped to the ground.

The men around ran forwards, taking down the first line of guards as Dernier and Morita took up Hydra-guns, Dugan, Jones and Falsworth seizing a tank while Christiane and Anya jumped in.

As they fought their way out of camp, they found themselves in a clearing, no more Hydra guards following them.  
Falsworth turned to the two sisters, coming down from the hatch where they had been aiming and shooting.

"What now?" he looked to them in confusion. "Sisters?"

Anya smiled, walking past him as she went to take seat beside Jones in the driving seat. "How'd you know?"

"Hey!" A voice came from outside as Christiane looked out, seeing more men being led by Bucky and Steve.

"Bucky!" she shouted, climbing out and sliding down the tank as she sprinted towards him. She felt each land of her footstep ache through her body, her breath short as she ran as fast as she could to him, her arms already outreached to grab him to her.

Bucky saw his girl climbing down a tank, running full force at him and jumping towards him into a hug.

"You're alive," he breathed, smiling into her hair.

"You too," she smiled back, Bucky taking her face into his hands as he kissed her deeply.

Anya slid down the tank, coming beside Steve as she hugged him, an arm rested on his shoulders as they leaned against the tank.  
"You know, you and me make a good team," she chuckled.

"I'll take you up on that," he turned to her smiling, hugging her again.

* * *

Philips paced around his tent, holding out a letter as he read it out.

"Senator Brandt, I regret to report that Captain Steven G. Rogers went missing behind enemy lines on the third. Aerial reconnaissance has proven unfruitful. As a result, I must declare Captain Rogers killed in action. Period."

Peggy stood at her spot, her eyes watching Phillips every move, "The last surveillance flight is back. No sign of activity."

 **"** Go get a cup of coffee, Corporal." Phillips stopped by a soldier sitting at a table with a typewriter.

 **"** Yes, sir." He nodded before taking his leave.

Phillips turned back to Peggy, "I can't touch Stark. He's rich and he's the Army's number one weapons contractor. You and the Bougourd sisters are neither one."

 **"** With respect, sir, I don't regret my actions. And I don't think Captain Rogers did either." Peggy looked him back sternly.

 **"** What makes you think I give a damn about your opinions. I took a chance with you, Agent Carter and your friends. And now America's golden boy and a lot of other good men are dead, cause you had a crush." He shouted back.

 **"** It wasn't that. I had faith."

 **"** Well, I hope that's a big comfort to you when they shut this division down." He spat back at her, Peggy standing her ground in front of him. Around them, footsteps runnings and shouting took over the silence. "What the hell's going on out there?" Phillips pushed out the tent's flap, watching a crowd follow to the edge of the forest as Peggy walked past him, joining the crowd.

"Look who it is!" A man shouted from the crowd.

Steve saluted to Phillips, "Some of these men need medical attention."

Another man pushed forwards a medic to the men, "Medic, we got wounded."

"Right over here."

Steve continued, standing straight like his training days, "I'd like to surrender myself for disciplinary action."

"That won't be necessary," he replied back quickly.

"Yes, sir." Steve replied back, his eyes set.

Phillips turned around, walking away as he passed Peggy and Anya, "Faith, huh?"

Peggy walked up to Steve, her face in amusement, "You're late."

He pulled out the broken transponder, "Couldn't call my ride."

Bucky pulled Christiane closer to his side, shouting at the top of his lungs as he looked to Steve, "Hey! Let's hear it for Captain America!"

The crowd around them cheered as Peggy stood by Steve, looking up to him. Anya looked to her best friend knowing the look in her eyes, smiling as Bucky came around with Christiane, hugging the two sisters tightly.

* * *

Steve dragged Bucky to the medics, getting him checked out as Anya watched Christiane wolf down stew and biscuits, rarely taking any time to talk to a watching Peggy and Anya.

"You know I'll never forgive you for running off like that, playing hero," Peggy looked to her sternly.

"She gets it from me," Anya chuckled, the two sisters looking at each other with amusement.

"Oh don't encourage her, Anya!" Peggy elbowed Anya.

"Ow!" Anya grabbed her side, glancing at Peggy who was trying to keep herself together from bursting into laughter, standing up.  
"I've got to get back to some maps Phillips wants me to look over, I'll see you two later?"

The sisters nodded, waving to her as she turned, walking across the mess hall.

Christiane looked back up from her meal, taking a look to the Anya before she stopped, placing her spoon down.

"I need to tell you something."

"What is it? _Qu'est ce qui se passe_?" Anya stopped, leaning in closer across the table.

"The scientist tested me on the Tesseract, it took me to Asgard. I saw Loki," her voice quiet as she searched her sister's eyes.

"How, how is that possible?," she furrowed her eyebrows, shaking her head gently, looking back up to Christiane, "What happened? The force of the Tesseract it…"

She rolled up her jacket's sleeve, holding the bracelet, "This, the bracelet, Heimdall said it protected me."

Anya stood, walking to Christiane's side.  
"The Tesseract," she repeated on her lips, trying to remember. "I read it in the library with Loki, about something called Infinity Stones stored in different mediums created by Cosmic Entities. Vili brought the Tesseract to Earth to hide. I read that it has great powers to travel through space and time, opening portals and dimensions."

"Maybe that's why," Christiane thought, looking back up to her sister as she got up, taking her crockery to wash, "It brought me there. It showed me images, of myself." She scrubbed at her bowl, drying with a tea towel before taking her sister's arm through hers, walking into the darkness of the camp.

"Images of yourself?" Anya looked to her sister, puzzled.

"I had short blond hair, looking into a mirror; then I was walking through the house in the Alps," she hesitated, deciding whether to tell her sister of the last two images of fighting a masked man and alone in a barren land.

"Do you think it was the future?" Anya glanced wide eyed, the two moving to the side as a group of men jogged beside them.

"Heimdall said it was the future."

Anya looked down to her feet, the two taking a corner into a group of tents to strategics, "Queen Frigga once talked to me about fate."

"What did she say?" Christiane asked, her voice soft against the low hiss of the oil lamps and the quiet creaks of the forest.

Anya held her sister by her arms, eyes full of love and concern, "That the AllFathers would protect us, that the bracelet would guide the way for us." She looked at her wrist, looking at her own rune bracelet.

"I really hope so," Christiane looked down, gingerly taking up her wrist, playing around with her bracelet.

"Ladies," Peggy walked up to them, startling the two as they turned to look to her, "You're needed inside. There's a nearby village that I reckon we could push the border to gain territory for the next regiment coming through."

Steve and Bucky followed behind Peggy, turning around as all five walked through the flaps of the tent, a map spread with markers all over.

Dugan looked up, tipping his hat off to Christiane, "Hugo," he smiled.

"You're looking better," Christiane smiled back, looking around the room to the other men she recognized from the same holding as Dugan back in the Hydra base.

"Alright!" Peggy clapped her hands together, everyone gathering around the map, "You're all here because Captain Rogers insisted on you all being the best team possible for this mission. There may be combat. If any of you feel you cannot do this mission, then you can sit this one out. We leave in the morning. You'll find on the table over there weapons to take with you."

Everyone moved to the table, Steve taking up his shield rested against the wall, Bucky and Peggy taking up a sniper rifle, Anya taking a few knives, a baton and a pistol while Christiane took a pistol and a baton.

"Whatever happens, you stay with me," Bucky whispered to her, both of them watching Jones, Falsworth, Dugan, Morita, Dernier, Juniper, Pinkerton and Sawyer marvel at the weapons, arguing with another like boys in what to get.

She nodded, quickly kissing his cheek, the men suddenly turning their eyes as they hollered to them.

Bucky leaned down smiling, a whisper against her ear, "Ignore them."

* * *

The team were gathered by the edge of the forest, heading to a nearby village in the valley. It was the only village by miles around the area.

The sky shone a dark lapis blue, the morning star still hiding at the horizon. The first signs of autumn indicated in the chilled air, the team wrapped up in layers as they started their trek up the hill, arms in hand.

Bucky stood by Christiane, almost as if guarding her protectively with a pout on his face as Christiane was still trying to rub the sleep out of her eyes, yawning every so often. Anya looked at the two of them over her shoulder, leading the front with Peggy on one side and Steve on another.

She turned back, smiling to herself.

"What're you smiling about?" Peggy smirked, a hint of amusement in her eyes.

"The two behind," Anya shrugged.

"Your sister and future brother-in-law you mean?" Steve chuckled softly, looking at the two women out of the corner of his eyes.

"You're making me feel old, Rogers." Anya scrunched up her nose, scratching her wrist as the sleeves pulled up, revealing the bracelet on her hand.

Steve looked down, furrowing his eyebrows as it took him a moment to realize the rune.  
"It's the same rune," he pulled open a pocket on his trousers, pulling out the rune coin with a string through the hole in the middle.

Anya looked up, "I remember Christiane giving you and Bucky that." Her eyes moving back to the forest.

His eyes flew wide suddenly, opening another pocket to pull out the same rune coin on a necklace, "Bucky left this behind back in Brooklyn when he went to war."

Anya shook her head, fingers on her temples as she laughed quietly, "Wait till Christiane finds that out," she looked around again to see Steve hand the necklace to Bucky as he smiled taking it, Steve walking back alongside Anya and Peggy.

No sooner than a few seconds, they could hear Christiane's voice whispering sharply at Bucky, "You didn't bring it with you?" She tiptoed trying to get the necklace over his head.

"I didn't want to lose it!" Bucky whispered back.

"It's supposed to protect you!" Christiane shot back.

"You didn't bring the engagement ring," he muttered.

"Into the middle of a war zone!"

"You have a point there," he mumbled.

Christiane groaned, throwing her head against Bucky's side as he wrapped an arm around her, chuckling softly.

* * *

They walked for a few more hours, the sun setting casting orange light and shadows, navigating downhill into the valley, taking the dirt road in the forest to the village, a bullet narrowly missing Dernier cursing in French as he ducked to the ground.

"Take cover!" Peggy shouted, grabbing Anya's arm as they ducked behind a tree.

Bucky pulled Christiane to the floor, the two of them scrambling through the leaves, hiding behind a tree trunk.

"How far's the village?" Pinkerton shouted over the bullet fire, turning around quickly to take out two out of the seven men shooting at them.

"A mile!" Steve shouted, taking up his shield as he stood, making a run towards a small group of men coming to them, knocking out two men in one swing.

Anya looked back around, "Four down, three to go," she breathed, trying to take a shot with her pistol.

Bucky looked to find Christiane suddenly up, running quickly through the trees around the fight, "Christiane! Get back here!"

Christiane jumped through the tree-line, kicking a man at full force as she knocked out his gun, allowing Dugan and Jones to advance on the two other men.

The man pulled out a knife, swinging it at her as she readied herself, ducking out and then grabbing his wrist, twisting his arm and rotating his body to fall to the ground as she took out her baton, swinging it at him, the soldier falling limp.

Bucky saw another soldier came behind her, choking her from behind as she lifted herself up, using her weight to pull him over her and have Steve hit down on him with his shield.

"Come on! There's more in the village!" Peggy shouted, as they started running down the dirt path into the cobblestoned village.

Bucky ran beside Christiane, "I told you to stay with me!" A man suddenly jumping out at Bucky as he swung around, Christiane using her palm up into his chin, turning around to kick him down.

Christiane pulled Bucky by her side, the rest of the team advancing into the village square - baton in hand while Bucky had his rifle at ready.  
"Take cover!" Morita shouted as he threw a grenade, turning the corner and running to the square as he hid behind the tank, Bucky realizing wide-eyed as he pulled Christiane by her hand, sprinting to take cover with Morita. The explosion taking out half of their enemy.

"You could have told us you brought those along," Bucky huffed out, turning back around to the square as he fired out the sniper, barely registering Christiane running to Peggy, Anya, Steve and Dugan darting across the square as they went head to head with a group of men.

Bucky reloaded his rifle, his eye on any firing enemies before Pinkerton stood up waving his hand to indicate there was no more firing artillery, running to join the fight.

Bucky threw down the rifle, running to Christiane's side as he knocked out a man who had Christiane in a choke as she was ready to elbow him in the eye behind.

The two backed up against each other, facing their opponent as they fought hand to hand, hitting their opponents until Morita rolled up behind them in the tank, shouting from the hatch.  
"Surrender now!"

The men stopped wide eyed, backing away as their sergeant pulled out a white handkerchief, running to their vehicles, driving out.

Dugan looked up at Morita, laughing, "You could have invited us to the party!"

The last enemy vehicle left, silence fell around them as the few remaining villagers started opening their doors and windows - a small crowd gathering in the square.

" _Grazie, grazie mille_ (Thank you, thank you very much)" an old man came up to Anya and Peggy, taking their hands into his.

An old woman took Anya into a hug as Christiane gathered round with Bucky and the rest of the team.  
" _Resta, le nostre case sono aperte a tutti voi._ (Stay, our homes are open to you all)" she smiled, kissing Anya's hand.

Anya turned around, "She insists we stay in the village," she smiled.

" _Per favore, facci cucinare per te, festeggiamo_ (Please let us cook for you, let us celebrate)" a man came round to her, smiling to Steve and Peggy.

" _Grazie_ (Thank you)" Peggy replied, letting the man pull her and Steve in the direction of what looked like a boarded up tavern.

The old man shouted to a group of men and women, all of them running to their apartments surrounding the square, returning with whatever food they had to share as night descended, the air chilled as grey clouds started to loom over.

Candles were lit outside, tables brought out as Christiane looked up to the oncoming clouds, a small smile on her face, "Snow's coming," she whispered.

Bucky shook his head, smiling to her as he handed her a piece of bread, an arm around her waist as he pulled her close.

By the time night fell, the temperature had dropped to almost freezing, a fire burning from a metal drum as the villagers and the team sat round, Dernier on the piano from the restaurant singing at the top of his tipsy voice in French. There was wine, champagne, bread, meat and cheese as the villagers danced together onto the square. Anya danced round with Steve for a round of _'Sur le pont d'Avignon',_ giggling for what she felt like was the first time she felt carefree.

Bucky and Christiane had at one point started dancing, Jacques playing a slow mellow tune, _Cette Chanson Est Pour Vous (Life Is A Song) by Jean Sablon,_ his voice harmonious against the contrast of the crackle of the fire, the quiet chatter and laughters, the wind howling gently. Old men and women danced together around them, gentle smiles on their faces.

 _L'existence, je suppose,_

 _Souvent n'est qu'une chanson_

 _Que nous chantons de mille façons_

 _Couplet joyeux et couplet morose_

 _Si vraiment notre destin_

 _N'est qu'un refrain_

Christiane pulled herself closer to him, resting her cheek onto his shoulders as she took in a deep shaky breath, letting it out, watching the mist against her breath.

"What is it?" Bucky whispered.

"This war," she looked to the team sitting by, laid back for once as they sat laughing and talking to each other, the dark circles under their eyes cast greater like shadows from the wear of the war. "It takes so much from us." She looked back up to him, his blue cerulean eyes bright against the night. Her voice came out like a whisper, almost a sigh, "It took so much from you and me."

"What happened back in the Hydra base," Bucky whispered back, his eyes focused on hers, "The experiments."

Christiane shook her head, her eyes closed tightly as she tried to forget the sounds of the screaming and torture, "He did something to us," she breathed out shakily, fear in her eyes.

 _Cette chanson est pour vous, Madame,_

 _A l'unisson nous la redirons_

 _Elle sera plus fervente qu'un poème_

 _A chaque vers, nous écrirons "Je t'aime"_

 _Je veux y voir une ardente gamme_

 _Des mots d'espoir redits chaque soir_

 _Tendre frisson, bonheur d'aimer_

 _C'est notre programme_

 _Car la vie, Madame, n'est qu'une chanson._

Bucky rested his forehead against hers, his hands up to hold her head gently, fingers intertwined through her hair, "I promise, with my life," he breathed, "I promise I won't let anything bad happen to you Christiane." His voice shook, trying to hide the guilt in his eyes.

"Bucky?" Christiane held his face gently, before pulling him in closely to her, closing her eyes briefly as they continued to sway. "Whatever happens, we will always come back to each other."

He nodded against her hair, kissing her softly on her head.

 _Cette chanson est pour vous, Madame,_

 _A l'unisson nous la redirons_

 _Tendre frisson, bonheur d'aimer_

 _C'est notre programme_

 _Car la vie, Madame, n'est qu'une chanson_

Christiane looked up, the prickle of ice biting her skin as the first light snowflakes danced around them through the wind, smiling up to the night.

Bucky chuckled, holding her by her waist in his arms closely as they both looked up to the sky.

"Whatever our life will be," Bucky whispered. "God, I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Christiane. I want to grow old with you, to watch the sun rise and set together, snow falling and seasons change like our grey hairs, have a family together," he chuckled to himself as Christiane laughed with him.

He looked back down, searching her eyes before looking to the team, starting to get up to retire to a room given to each person in the hotel above the tavern.

"I want us to wake up in the morning, next to each together. Tell you I love you every day, every moment I can."

She whispered back, pulling him towards the team saying goodnight to each other, "The life we'll have together."

* * *

They walked up the stairs to the top floor, the owner of the hotel tavern giving the couple the biggest room at the top. Falsworth and Dugan were still singing from their hallways below, Dernier trying to sing over their voices in French.

Bucky held Christiane's hand, leading her up the stairs, looking around every so often to look at her till they reached the top. He fumbled with the key, turning ti quietly against the faint singing, the locks clicking into place as the door opened. "You take the bed," he looked into the room.

Christiane turned around, closing the door before turning back around, Bucky standing closely her. Their lips inches apart.

It was the first time since Brooklyn they had the space, yet alone the time to be this close to each other. Christiane's breath hitched, her eyes quickly looking to his lips as she gulped, looking down to her feet.

Bucky lifted her chin, searching her eyes as he started to lean in slowly, his fingers feeling electric over her skin.

It was a goodnight kiss, soft and slow but yet something felt different.

His hands rested by her cheeks, taking her to him as her arms rested around his neck. It became harder, the kiss deepening, becoming more passionate. She felt her hands explore, going to his chest as his moved to her hips, gently holding her. She felt him push her against the door, his breathing heavy against her lips just as hard as her breathing as they pulled away to look to each other. Words unspoken, before lips met again, his lips trailing down her jawline before turning to her neck in open kisses. Her hands went to his coat, unbuttoning as he shrugged it off him, his hands going to help her from her coat, taking it in his hands and throwing it across the room. Christiane felt Bucky against her front, her hands moving to the hem of his shirt going up under, her fingers trailing his warm skin against the cool of her hands from the icy winds and snow.

He inhaled sharply, pulling back suddenly, Christiane surprised from the loss of contact between them. He looked to her, her lips swollen as he looked to her eyes, the green dark against the single oil lamp like jade.

"Christiane…" his voice was low, looking her in the eye as he took her hands in his beside him. "If we keep going like this…"

"I know," she whispered, her heart thumping in her chest like it was trying to escape.

"There's no going back. Are you sure?" He still looked back, waiting for her reply.

She nodded, "I want this, Bucky" she whispered, feeling Bucky's hands take hers to his cheek as he kissed it softly. He pulled over his shirt, standing in front of her, chest heaving breathless. His hands moved to her blouse, undoing the buttons whilst his eyes never left hers - all the devotion and love to her.

He kissed her softly, lips brushing against each other - the quietness of the night, snowflakes silently gathering at their windowsills.


	26. Chapter 26

**November 1943**

 **SSR London Headquarters**

"The fifth one was here in Poland, right near the Baltic." Steve circled an area on the map, pointing to another mark "And the sixth one was… about here, 30, 40 miles west of the Maginot Line." A soldier taking the map from the table, rolling it under his arms as he took it out of the room. "I just got a quick look."

Peggy walked over to Phillips table, another map laid out, "Well, nobody's perfect."

"These are the weapon factories we know about. Sergeant Barnes said that Hydra shipped all the parts to another facility that isn't on this map."

"Agent Carter and Bougourd, coordinate with MI6. I want every Allied eyeball looking for that main Hydra base." Phillips pointed to Peggy and Anya.

"We are gonna set a fire under Johann Schmidt's ass. What do you say, Rogers? It's your map, you think you can wipe Hydra off of it?" Phillips stood straight, a pen pointing to Steve.

"Yes, sir. I'll need a team."

"We're already putting together the best men." Phillips kept walking around the table, pointing to another mark as an officer moved a marker atop.

"With all due respect, sir. So am I.", Steve nodded curtly to Phillips, looking over his shoulder as he saw Christiane and Bucky at another table deep in conversation as they pointed to another map in front of them.

"Please excuse me, I've got to go follow up with Stark on some prototypes. I'll see you later?" Anya ducked in front of Steve and Peggy, keeping her smile professional in front of Phillips.

"Sounds good," Steve nodded, watching her pass go to Christiane, pulling her along through a thick metallic door into Stark's lab.

* * *

"So, let's get this straight." Dugan leaned across the table, ale in hand as he tried to keep his eyes straight to Rogers.

"We barely got out of there alive, and you want us to go back?" Jones leaned in, their voices mute against the cheery piano and vinyl playing in the background of the pub they agreed to meet in.

"Pretty much." Steve shrugged, his eyes hopeful to the men.

"Sounds rather fun, actually." Falsworth took a sip, shrugging with a glint of amusement in his face.

Morita let out a belch after chugging a whole pint, "I'm in."

Jones leaned over to Dernier, muttering in French before shaking hands together, "We're in."

"Hell," Dugan put his glass over the table, clinking glasses with everyone else, "I'll always fight. But you got to do one thing for me."

Steve smiled, eyebrows raised, "What's that?"

"Open a tab." Dugan replied, a smirk on his face.

Steve stood, walking over to the bartender.  
"Well that was easy." Morita mumbled, leaning back into conversation with Falsworth.

"Another round." Steve looked over his shoulder, smiling in amusement to the bartender.

The man glanced over, eyes wide, "Where are they putting all this stuff?"

Bucky walked over to Steve, slapping a hand onto his back as everyone sung, glasses swishing in the air, "See? I told you. They're all idiots."

They walked over to the quieter part of the bar, sitting themselves down at the bar counter.

"How about you? You ready to follow Captain America into the jaws of death?" Steve tipped his head to the bartender, a drink in his hand.

"Hell, no. That little guy from Brooklyn who was too dumb not to run away from a fight. I'm following him. But you're keeping the outfit, right?" Bucky chuckled, taking a swig of his beer.

"You know what? It's kind of growing on me." Steve looked down, shaking his head slightly at the thought of the name.

The singing suddenly stopped, Dugan and the men leaning over through the bar's partition to look at Peggy and Christiane walk in.

Peggy walked up to Steve, a hint of a blush on her cheeks, "Captain."

"Agent Carter," he smiled politely.

"Ma'am." Bucky bowed slightly, his eyes moving to Christiane, smiling a goofy grin at her.

"Howard and Anya have some equipment for you and Christiane to try. Tomorrow morning?"

"Sounds good," he smiled back.

"I see you top squad is prepping for duty," Peggy leaned back slightly, peering at the men back in their antics.

"You don't like music?" Bucky cocked his head to the side, looking to her then to Christiane.

"I do, actually. I might even, when this is all over, go dancing." Peggy smiled down, her eyes still set on Steve.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Bucky looked to Christiane, taking her in his hands, twirling her around until she was in his arms beside him.

"The right partner. 0800, Captain." Peggy smiled, a single glance to Bucky before nodding to Steve, walking out the pub.

"Yes, ma'm. I'll be there." Steve whispered, watching her leave.

Bucky shook his head, "I'm invisible," looking to Christiane as she ordered a drink by the bar, moving beside her, "I'm not invisible right?" His smile cheeky, hair slightly ruffled.

"It's a horrible dream," Christiane giggled, teasing Bucky as he pouted, putting a hand under his chin.

"Don't take it so hard. Maybe she's got a friend." Steve looked to the two, Christiane elbowing Bucky teasingly. He wished he could have something like his friends one day.

* * *

Howard glanced through the Hydra cartridge, Anya by his side as they looked through their darkened lab goggles.

"Emission signature is unusual. Alpha and beta ray neutral. Though I doubt Rogers picked up on that. Seems harmless enough. Hard to see what all the fuss is about." His hands moved the tweezers to remove a glowing pellet, a blast emitting as Stark and Anya were sent flying across the room.

Stark immediately scrambled, taking Anya by the hand as they tried to stand up, "Write that down!"

 **Somewhere in the SSR headquarters**

Peggy turned the corner, her eyes squinting to Steve and Private Lorraine behind a shelf kissing, "Captain!" Causing the two to jump away, she glared at Private Lorraine who scrambled to her documents, her eyes resting back on Steve's, fierce, "We're ready for you. If you're not otherwise occupied," turning on her heels as she made way to the thick metallic door to the lab.

"Agent Carter, wait." Steve followed behind.

"Looks like finding a partner wasn't that hard after all." Peggy kept walking, her eyes set on Stark's table.

"Peggy, that's not what you thought it was."

She turned around, her eyes furious to his yet her face expressionless, "I don't think anything, Captain. Not one thing. You always wanted to be soldier and now you are. Just like all the rest." She turned around, continuing to the back of the lab.

Well, what about you and Stark? How do I know you two haven't been… fonduing?"

She took a final glance, "You still don't know a bloody thing about women!" Before walking over to another part of the lab where Anya was fitting Christiane.

"What is this?" Christiane looked to her arms as Anya binded them with cloth, fitting a sort of arm shield on her forearms.

"You keep fighting and blocking with your arms, one of these days you're going to break something." Anya swatted at Christiane's hand trying to interfere.

"You always come back with cuts and bruises, Anya suggested putting some sort of armor on your arms." Peggy crossed her arms, leaning against a table, a quick glance to the men on the other side.

Howard leaned to Steve, "Fondue is just cheese and bread, my friend."

"Really? I didn't think…" he furrowed his brows.

"Nor should you, pal." He looked to Anya busy at work, "The moment you think you know what's goin' on in a woman's head, it's the moment your goose is well and truly cooked. Me, I concentrate on work. Which at the moment is about making sure you and your men do not get killed. Carbon polymer." Pointing to a piece of cloth lying on the table. "Should withstand your average German bayonet. Although Hydra's not going to attack you with a pocket knife." He kept walking along the table, pointing to Steve's shield. "I hear you're uh… kinda attached?"

"It's handier than you might think." Steve shrugged.

"I took the liberty of coming up with some options." His hand showing to a few shields lined up.  
"This one's fun. She's been fitted with electrical relays. It'll allow you to…"

Steve saw a round silver one at the end, picking it up, testing it's weight, "What about this one?"

"No! No! That's just a prototype." Stark rushed to it.

"What's it made of?" Turning it in his hands.

Anya and Christiane walked over, arm cuffs fitted on Christiane's arms as she had her hands in fists, looking over the metal, "Vibranium. It's stronger than steel and a third of the weight. It's completely vibration absorbent." Anya looked to the two.

"How come it's not a standard issue?" Steve looked to the arm cuffs, back to the shield.

"That's the rarest metal on earth. What you're holding there? That's all we've got." Howard huffed out.

Anya and Peggy walked alongside, looking to Steve's shield, "You quite finished, Mr. Stark? I have some unfinished business with Agent Bougourd."

Steve held up the shield against him, a smile on his lips, "What do you think?"

Peggy looked to him, then to the shield as she picked up a gun, shooting to Steve as he quickly held up the shield to protect himself. He looked up startled, eyes in shock and confusion. Stark cowering behind Anya and Steve stunned.

She replied expressionless, turning to leave the lab with Anya and Christiane. "Yes. I think it works."

The two men kept their eyes on Peggy walking out the lab, as Steve took out a piece of paper, "I had some ideas about the uniform."

Stark's face was white, taking the paper without moving a muscle, "Whatever you want, pal."

* * *

"What is it?" Peggy and the sisters gathered around a corner as soon as they left the lab.

"I need you to do something for us, it's nothing much but…" Anya walked over to her desk, pulling open a drawer as she took out some documents, laying it on the table.  
"If anything happens to us, we both agreed for you to have the last thing we own, the house in the Alps."

"I can't…" Peggy looked to the two startled, "I can't take this…"

"Please," Christiane pleaded, "We don't know what this war would have in store for us, and if we both don't make it out alive, you're the closest thing to family. It equally belongs to you, Peggy."

"We want you to have it if that time comes," Anya took out a pen, putting it beside the documents.

Peggy nodded as she signed, hugging the sisters tightly, her voice muffled, "I pray, that time never comes."

* * *

 **30 December 1943**

"Christiane Gérard Bougourd," Phillips looked up from her dossier as she stood in front of his desk, arms by her side. "Rogers has requested you go with his so-called Howling Commandos on their next mission. You've been practicing your German, Russian and Italian, is that right?"

"Yes sir," she replied.

"Combat skills are good," he looked back to the dossier, "You've improved significantly since your training. Somehow managing to beat every single man down except for Rogers in hand-to-hand since your rescue. I see you've made a speedy recovery. The Howling Commandos should be back this evening from their mission in Belgium."

"Yes sir," she replied again, her mind wandering to the last two months since her capture, since the experimentation. She had noticed herself becoming faster, stronger, her stamina unparalleled to anyone else apart from Bucky and Steve.

"Good, gear up. You're in for a final combat test with Agent Drummond in 30 minutes."

Christiane saluted, leaving the room to the changing rooms into her training clothes, as she slipped on the vibranium arm cuffs, growing accustomed to having it when fighting. Anya was in the changing room, changing back to her work attire as she smiled to Christiane coming in. She sat down on the bench, looking at her open palms, wondering what Zola had done to them.

"What's wrong?" Anya looked around, pulling her blouse on.

"The experiments Zola did to me, to Bucky, I've been wondering if it's been changing me," she whispered, eyes still on her palms.

Anya moved to sit beside Christiane, eyes full of concern as she grasped her hands in hers, "What have you noticed?"

"The strength, power and stamina, it's unlike anyone else's apart from Bucky and Steve," she furrowed her eyebrows, trying to think of something that could make her feel normal at least.

"Do you want me to run some tests? Your blood could tell…" Anya looked to Christiane, trying to find a way to ease her sister's worries.

She shook her head slowly, a hand holding onto Anya's tightly while the other moved to her abdomen, looking down to herself.

Anya looked to the hand, then back up to Christiane's face, eyebrows furrowing further with an expression on her face she could only describe as curiosity and realization.

"What is it, poulette?" Anya asked, taking Christiane by her shoulders to look at her.

"It hasn't come," her voice soft, her face showing her thoughts as she tried to remember the days, count the weeks. "It hasn't come since," her eyes flying wide, "two months ago."

"Did you and Bucky…" Anya moved her face, trying to look into Christiane's face bowed down before she looked back up, eyes wide and stunned.

Christiane nodded, "That night in the village," she thought to herself, "But it could also be what the experiments did."

"Did you use protection?" Anya looked to her, now in full concern.

She nodded, "We did, I just don't understand what's happening!"

"That's it. I'm taking your blood." Anya stood up, starting to pace the room before she stopped, her face in curiousity, a small smile appearing on her face, "How was it though? Your first time?"  
Christiane breathed out a laugh, shyly smiling to herself as Anya started smiling, continuing "I remember when-"

Christiane suddenly looked to Anya, eyes wide, "You and Loki?"

Anya smiled to herself shyly as she sat back down beside Christiane, "It was just before the war, after a party celebrating the solstice. We went back to his room, it was a beautiful night and one thing led to another…" She sighed, smiling gently.

"You love him, Anya." Christiane whispered, taking her sister's hand.

"I do, I really do, with all my heart and soul, poulette," she looked up to the ceiling, before looking back to her, "Just like you love Bucky, right?"

Christiane nodded, a gentle smile on her lips, thinking of him making her heart well and full, "I do, I love him with all my heart and life." She looked up to the ceiling now, trying to keep away a stray tear, her other hand moving to her abdomen, "And if it's what I'm thinking, then I'm ready to look after him or her. It's what we've always wanted. I just pray this war is over soon."

"Have you gained weight? Morning sickness?" Anya questioned, looking to her curiously.

"No," she shook her head, a small pout on her lips as she tried to understand.

"It's a 50/50 chance but I'm still taking your blood," Anya stood up, going to the door as she turned around, "I'll go get a collection kit. Wait here, I'll be back," before the door closed behind her.

She looked up to the clock, ticking each second by silently before standing up, gathering her thoughts together.


	27. Chapter 27

**Author's Note:** This will be a shorter chapter, but pivotal to the storyline. Forgive me for the Google Translate Russian…

Lelia is the Slavic goddess of mercy, associated with the Ursa Major constellation which so happens to be Christiane's favorite constellation. Lelia comparable to Artemis, the Greek goddess.

What do you think about the story so far?

Thank you again for reading!

* * *

 **January 1 1944**

Her hair wiped in the air, the wind picking up with the start of the rotors of the airplane. Anya hugged her sister tightly, already in her uniform of a dark blue coat, brown trousers and boots, her arm cuffs under her sleeves.

Anya looked around, making sure no one was around them, her voice low, "One thing is for sure is that your blood does not look the same compared to anyone else's. It's got the same composition as Bucky's and Steve's, like your body is changing."

Christiane leaned in closely to her sister, an eye glancing to Bucky waiting by the door of the aircraft with Steve for her, "What about…"

"I still can't be sure about the results. But I don't think you're pregnant, I'm 70 percent sure. By three months, you should be showing a little but yet nothing. I'll keep looking at your blood and see if I can find something."

Christiane nodded, glancing again to Bucky as he sent her a smile, before she looked back to Anya, "The SSR, they can't find out."

"I won't tell anyone, not even Peggy. But you might want to talk about it with Bucky?" Anya glanced quickly to him, looking back to her sister, eyes in concern.

"We'll see," Christiane breathed out shakily, putting the thought away as her mind went to the mission.

"Don't play hero, you go with them and you work as a team, do you hear me?" Anya told her sister, her hug tightening as she looked to the corner of her eyes, seeing the men starting to board the plane.

"I know, Anya," Christiane smiled back, brushing a stray hair from Anya's face. "We'll be back soon."

"I got you this," Anya handed her a package, bundled around cloth and a leather string, "It's a bow with a set of arrows in the quiver. I know how much you dislike using guns, and you can't just use your baton all the time." She chuckled, rolling her eyes to herself, "I remember how you always tried to win whenever _maman_ got us to practice when we were little."

"Just couldn't seem to miss," Christiane smiled, remembering the memory of them practicing in the field behind the house in the alps, their mother a skilled archer as she taught them their aim.

"Take care of yourself, _je t'aime"_ she held onto her sister, sending her off to the door of the plane.

" _Je t'aime aussi_ " as she waved to her sister.

* * *

The Howling Commandoes flew into Czechoslovakia, parachuting into a forest as they set up camp through the night, a small fire cackling in the center. Christiane slept beside Bucky on the floor, watching her curled up, the shadows from the hearth casting her skin an amber, eyelashes ghosted on her skin, her hair out of its plait curled. He laid a hand on Christiane, keeping her close to him.

He kept watch at night with Steve, Morita and Sawyer, watching the forest until first light where they packed up, moving again through the forest nearer to the Austrian border before setting up camp once again.

Christiane kept watch with Dugan, Dernier and Falsworth, rifles in their arms as Christiane sat against a tree trunk, her bow by her side, Bucky curled up beside her.

She watched the stars through the canopy of the tree line, taking in the quietness of the forest. She quietly stood, stretching her legs as she walked over to Dugan, his eyes lazily on the fire, whispering, "I'm going to make a round, I'll be back." As he nodded simply, leaning his head back against the tree trunk he was on.

Christiane held her bow in one hand, swinging the quiver around her as she walked silently into the forest, trying to recollect her thoughts. She walked for 20 minutes, hearing faint whispers from a dark corner. She treaded lightly, taking an arrow to line to her bow, ready to aim as she got closer.

"Заткнись! Скоро кто-то придет! (Shut up! Someone will come get us soon!)" a voice hissed.

"Никто не придет, чтобы забрать нас, мы оказались здесь в ловушке. (No one is coming to get us, we're trapped here.)" the other voice groaned, his voice shaking as if he was in tears.

Christiane jumped down the slight dip in the forest, her bow aimed at the two men, one with blond hair and one with brown hair.

"Кто ты? (Who are you?)" she looked to the two of them, eyes fierce against the moonlight.

Both men looked to her in shock, eyes in fear as they raised their arms up. Christiane looked to them, seeing one of them who's leg was trapped under a tree, the other holding onto his side.

"Тебе больно. (You're hurt)" she glanced to the two of them, lowering her bow as she came to sit beside them.

"Ты русский? (You are Russian?)" the brown-haired man asked, looking to her.

"I won't tell you, but I will help you. Promise me you will not hurt me" she eyed them suspiciously, waiting for their response.

"Please, help us. I have a wife and a son to get home to," the blond-haired man pleaded, his hands clasped together almost in a prayer.

Christiane nodded once, getting up as she put her arms under an empty space where the tree had fallen over the man's legs. The brown-haired man looked to her bewildered, eyes wide, "There's no way you can carry the weight!"

She felt pressure to her legs, at first with no avail as she tried to lift the tree, knowing full well during the past weeks she had tried to test her new strengths. After a few seconds, the tree lifted under her hands, the man scrambling out, pulling his leg out before she dropped the weight down.

The blond-haired man pulled himself sitting upright against the brown-haired man, looking to the woman in front of them stunned.  
The blond-haired man whispered, eyes wide to her, "Лелия. You are Lelia," a smile beginning to form on his face as he clasped together his hands again.

Christiane sat down with them, pulling out the first-aid kid she carried by her belt, taking out ointment and a few strands of cloth. "Кто такая Лелия? (Who is Lelia?)"

"Богиня милосердия (Goddess of mercy)," the brown-haired man replied watching Christiane soak the cloths with ointment, passing it to him to put on his wound.

"You have come a long way. Your heavens in Ursa Major," the blond-haired man smiled again, looking to her like a sign of hope.

Christiane took a thick branch, putting it against the man's leg as she wrapped it with more cloth, acting as a stilt for him.  
"Старайтесь не накладывать на него свой вес (Try not to put your weight on it)" she focused, tying the strands of cloth around his leg before she turned to her small backpack, taking out a canister of tea and biscuits, passing it around to the men.

"I do not know how long you have been here. This is for your strength" she looked to the men as they passed the tea between them, tucking into the biscuits.

"Мы обязаны вам жизнью, you have given us a second chance. Our regiment left us here to die. Because of you, we can go home to our families, Лелия " the brown-haired man looked to her, eyes full of hope and gratitude.

"Где ваши семьи? Как вас зовут? (Where are your families? What's your name?)" Christiane asked, taking a sip of her canister.

The brown-haired man extended his hands, taking Christiane's into his in a handshake, "Viktor, I am from Sokovia"

The blond-haired man extended his hand, tightly holding Christiane's, eyes full of hope, "Ernst, from Latvia."

She nodded, handing them another wrap of biscuits and a map.  
"I must get back to my group, but the nearest town should be a night's hike."

"Go, Lelia. I hope we meet again soon so we can repay you one day." Viktor looked to the darkness of the forest behind her, glancing back at her.

"Пусть Бог защитит вас и вашу семью (May God protect you and your family)" Christiane stood, smiling to the two as she helped them up.

"Спасибо, Лелия (Thank you, Lelia)" Ernst smiled, turning around on his good leg as Viktor supported his other side, the two of them disappearing into the night.

Christiane looked back up to the sky, a sudden chill down her spine as she walked back to the campsite, sitting beside a sleeping Bucky, her hand brushing his hair gently before she leaned her head back against the tree trunk, looking up to the stars.


	28. Chapter 28

**February 1944**

The Commandos continued on, taking down Hydra bases one by one in the region, crossing into the Austrian border, taking camp in the forest near Zell am See.

Steve received informations of the rendezvous point where they would be able to intercept a Hydra train carrying Zola. All of them set up camp deep into the mountainous range, darkness surrounding them. A fire would draw too much attention deep in the enemies territory, the only thing lighting their camp casted by the luminescence of the moonlight.

Bucky, Steve, Jones, Dugan, Sawyer and Pinkerton slept around in a circle around the center where they kept their packs. Christiane, Falsworth, Morita, Dernier and Juniper sat around at each point of the circle, keeping watch during the night, their weapons in hand.

Morita started drifting off, a quiet snore as Falsworth sent him a glare, closing his eyes briefly during the watch while Dernier and Juniper scrapped a piece of wood pointed to its end. Christiane sat watching the group, her eyes adjusted to the darkness. Dugan turned around on his side, a loud snore coming from his mouth as Bucky moved beside Christiane's side, throwing shoving Dugan onto his other side as the snoring stopped.

Christiane looked down to Bucky, eyes sleepily watching the sky as slowly got himself up, leaning against the tree trunk Christiane was on, moving her up to lean against his chest, wrapping his arms around her.

"You should be sleeping," Christiane whispered, smiling softly to him.

"I can't when Dugan's snoring like that," he rolled his eyes, taking her hands into his, kissing her gently on her cheek, his voice a low whisper, "Besides, you need some rest. I can take over."

"No no, someone's got to replace Jim," she pointed her chin to the direction of Morita, slumped halfway off the trunk he was leaning on.

"God knows how can that man sleep anywhere," he chuckled softly, pulling Christiane closer against him.

They sat in silence, the quietness of the forest almost calming and haunting, the winter's cold sinking into their bones.

Bucky leaned his head back, looking up to the stars, a brief patch of clear sky edged by thick grey clouds, "This," he breathed out, "This'll be the last mission and I'm done, I'm asking for a discharge."

Christiane leaned back against his shoulder, turning her head slightly to his, looking into his eyes, the blue icy against the moonlight, his whole heart and soul looking to her.

"I won't be leaving Steve, I just think it's time we finally get married if you want?" He looked to her, searching for an answer.

She nodded, "The moment we get back to London."

He let out the breath he had been holding in unknowingly, closing his eyes smiling as he let his head against the tree's trunk.

"All that time ago, when we sat in the park in Brooklyn covered in snow, talking about our future."

"The house with a swing, a cherry tree, a family together," she smiled to him, her heart aching about the daunting thought of her scare back in London - she was certain she was not carrying their child, four months since Zola's experiments, since the night together in the village and yet she still wasn't showing, she only hoped she could have the family she wished for with him. The only thing she noticed with herself and with Bucky was the slight muscles forming on her arms and legs, whilst Bucky grew stronger, his body adjusting to the new muscles and power he had.

"I'd want a girl and a boy," Bucky chuckled softly, his thumbs going over Christiane's hands.

"Twins!" Christiane turned to him, eyes full hope.

"That'll be a handful," he laughed, his eyes looking to her eyes, the green an emerald tinge, the blue-grey like storm brewing over water, a small sliver of gold.

"William and Julie?" He cocked an eyebrow to her.

"Nicolas and Amélie?" She shrugged, a smirk on her lips.

"Nicolas and Julie," he smiled goofily, leaning back up to the sky.

Christiane thought to herself, her voice almost inaudible had it not been for their proximity, "I thought I was pregnant, after our night together in the village."

Bucky looked at her, eyes searching hers as she continued, "Our bodies have changed so much after what Zola did to us that I don't know if I'd ever be able to have children. My…time of month hadn't come for three months since that night, and it still hasn't, but by now surely if I was carrying our child, I'd be showing?"

She didn't realize she had been holding her breath in, trying to keep tears from falling as drops streaked her cheeks.

Bucky squeezed her hands, wiping the tears from her cheek with his thumb, "All the times after we've been careful," he lifted her cheek to him, gently in his hand, "Christiane, why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't know for certain, but I'm sure I'm not. I'm just…I'm afraid that the other possibility is whatever Zola put into me, it won't allow me to have children." She looked down, trying to keep easy her breathing and tears.

He lifted her chin up, kissing her softly, "If we do, or if we don't, I just want to spend the rest of my life with you." He hugged her tightly, his arms enveloping her as she felt a sense of safety and wholeness, love.  
"Whatever happens, to you, to me, to us, we'll figure it out together," kissing her gently on the top of her head as he shielded her from the world.

They sat in the darkness, breaths in unison, cheek against cheek, fingers intertwined, looking up to the stars together.


	29. Chapter 29

By first light, the team hiked up the mountain ridge, setting their equipment on a ledge as Morita and Jones listened in on a Hydra decoding machine, Falsworth surveilling the area through his binoculars. Dugan took one point of the ledge, looking out to where the train would be coming from down below.

Christiane, Bucky and Steve looked over the snow-covered valley, the wind howling against their ears.

"Remember when we made you ride the Cyclone at Coney Island?" Bucky chuckled, his eyes still set down below.

"Yeah, and I threw up?" Steve grimaced at the memory.

"This isn't payback, is it?" Christiane looked to Steve, amusement on her face at the memory of Steve sprinting off the coaster as soon as it reached its stop.

"Now why would I do that?" Steve smiled, looking up to the zipline above them.

"We were right. Dr. Zola's on the train. Hydra dispatcher gave him permission to open up the throttle. Wherever he's going, they must need him bad." Jones moved an earpiece from his ears, talking to the team as they moved closer to him.

Steve glanced to Bucky quickly, pulling on his helmet, moving to the edge. Christiane tested the bands on her hands, knocking her arms with a clank against the vibranium cuffs before Bucky took her hand quickly into his, eyes set out onto the valley as Jones handed them each the pulleys.

"Let's get going, because they're moving like the devil." Falsworth turned over from his binoculars as the train approached a corner, speeding towards them.

Steve readied himself, grabbing the pulley's handles, "We only got about a 10-second window. You miss that window, we're bugs on a windshield."

"Mind the gap," Falsworth looked over to the team.

Dugan stood beside Steve, watching the train race closer, "Better get moving, bugs!"

" _Maintenant!_ (Now!)" Dernier shouted as he watched Steve jump down, followed by Christiane, Bucky and Jones, flying down the valley as they landed on the train, carefully maneuvering atop the carriages before they started down a ladder into one. Jones hooked himself atop one, his gun at ready standing guard.

Steve slid open the carriage door, as Christiane and Bucky stepped in, quickly closing it behind them.

Christiane had a pistol in her hand, stalking beside Bucky as they made their way down the carriage filled with supply shelves.

Steve looked behind, before walking through the doorway into the next carriage, the door suddenly closing behind them, separating Steve to Bucky and Christiane as he watched the two of them turn around, opening fire before he heard the charge of a machine behind him, turning to fire an armored man, ducking behind a cargo box.

Bucky shot again, "Christiane, go!", keeping the man distracted as Christiane ran down the other side of the carriage, her knee up as she kicked the man, quickly disarming him of his rifle before Bucky shot down the carriage. Taking cover behind another cargo box as he shot a Hydra soldier coming on Christiane's other side.

Christiane sprinted back to Bucky, taking cover behind the boxes as he took her pistol, shooting down the carriage to another Hydra soldier.

He looked at the empty cartridge as they leaned against the wall, hands holding each other tightly while the firing continued.  
"Bucky," Christiane looked out from their hiding spot, back to Bucky as they both tried to catch their breaths.

Suddenly, the door behind them slide open, Steve hiding behind it's edge as he looked to the two on the floor behind the boxes, showing a pistol to Bucky as he nodded to the side to Christiane, tossing the pistol to Bucky as Christiane and Steve ran at full force to the soldier, shield and arms up, pushing a cargo box against the man before Bucky shot him down.

"I had him on the ropes." Bucky muttered, the three of them looking to the fallen soldier.

"I know you did." Steve breathed back, a charge of a machine humming again from the doorway behind as Steve pushed Bucky and Christiane behind him, his shield up as Christiane had an arm over Bucky as an extra measure automatically.  
"Get down!" Steve shouted, the blast sending them flying as it hit against the shield, blowing out the side of the carriage.

Christiane felt herself launched into the air, seeing Bucky quickly get up from the ground, reaching for the shield as he shot to the armored Hydra soldier. Her head hit against the wall as she felt darkness around her, seeping into her sight as the white blindness from the snow stung her eyes, forcing to close, a ringing sound in her ears, muteness like she was underwater, against what was happening around her.

 _"Bucky! Hang on! Grab my hand! No!"_

Bucky glanced at Christiane quickly, picking up Steve's shield as he shot towards the soldier before being thrown by a blast, his hands grabbing for whatever he could as he hung from the side of the train.

Steve quickly came beside, "Bucky!"

He tried to climb on the hanging piece, "Hang on!" His hand went out to him, as he tried to reach out to Steve's hand, the piece of metal hanging by it's final bolts and screws before giving way, sending him falling.

* * *

He could only hear his voice screaming against the howling wind as he fell into the ravine, watching Steve's body become smaller and smaller.

In a quick instant, he closed his eyes, thinking to Christiane, feeling the rune necklace she gave him float up from gravity as he felt an impact, an explosion of blue around him as it tried to cocoon him from his body crushing against the ice.

He felt darkness, enveloping him as molecular blue streaks darted through his vision, fading to dark emptiness.

* * *

 **London**

 _"Blackout is still in effect throughout the London area. Please wait for the all-clear. Your attention, please. All citizens shall remain indoors until further notice. Blackout is still in effect throughout the London area."_

Christiane sat on the floor, her back against what was left of the bar's countertop, staring into the void, her eyes empty, an empty bottle of spirit next to her.

She couldn't even hear Steve's sobs, pouring himself another drink as Peggy and Anya followed the sound of the radio, looking to Christiane first as Anya tried to get her attention, Peggy standing beside him.

"Dr. Erskine said that… the serum wouldn't just affect my muscles, it would affect my cells. Create a protective system of regeneration and healing. Which means um…I can't get drunk. Did you know that?" his voice shook, looking to the glass of whiskey in front of him.

Peggy moved a fallen chair, sitting as she looked to him in concern, "Your metabolism burns four times faster than the average person. He thought it could be one of the side effects."

Steve looked to Christiane, tears stained her cheeks as she still refused to respond to Anya calling her name, brushing her hair soothingly. He looked down, guilt eating him.

"It wasn't your fault." Peggy whispered.

"Did you read the reports?" He replied, refusing to look back up.

"Yes."

"Then you know that's not true."

"You and Christiane did everything you could. Did you believe in your friend? Did you respect him?"

Steve looked up to her, his eyes changing to each word she was saying.

"Then stop blaming yourself. Allow Barnes the dignity of his choice. He damn well must have thought you were worth it. And Christiane," she turned to Christiane, still staring at the rubble, "Barnes would not have wanted you to mourn him like this. Stop blaming yourself as well."

"I'm goin' after Schmidt. I'm not gonna stop till all of Hydra is dead or captured." Steve muttered, trying to keep back his tears.

Christiane finally turned to Anya, slowly standing up as she held onto Anya's hand tightly, standing beside Steve.

Peggy looked to the two of them, "You won't be alone."

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Bucky's rune necklace is now broken as it somewhat protected him from the fall.

Bonus points if you've noticed the cover photo for this story has slightly changed! It's a piece I drew a while back based on the whole idea of the story since the beginning, and I'll keep zooming out as we reach each stage of the story. For now, behold Christiane's vibranium arm cuffs and the engagement ring hanging on a necklace like when she was back in training.


	30. Chapter 30

"Johann Schmidt belongs in a bug house. He thinks he's a God. He's willing to blow up half the world to prove it, starting with the USA." Colonel Phillips huffed, looking to the map.

"Schmidt's working with powers beyond our capabilities. He gets across the Atlantic, he will wipe out the entire eastern sea board in an hour." Stark looked between everyone gathered around the table.

"How much time do we have?" Christiane glanced up to the Colonel then to Steve.

"According to my new best friend, under twenty four hours." Phillips turned to Steve.

"Where is he now?" Dernier scratched his head, walking around the table.

Phillips pushed aside some papers, "Hydra's last base is here," holding an aerial photo of the base, "In the Alps. Five hundred feet below the surface."

"So, what are we supposed to do. I mean, it's not like we can just knock on the front door." Morita looked up to Steve, furrowing his eyebrows in curiosity.

"Why not? That's exactly what we're gonna do." Steve replied, his eyes never leaving the map.

* * *

"Arrogance may not be a uniquely American trait, but I must say you do it better than anyone. But there are limits to what even you can do, Captain. Or did Erskine tell you otherwise?" Schmidt watched Steve, sending a fist flying to his face.

"He told me you were insane." Steve breathed out.

The Red Skull laughed darkly, "Ah. He resented my genius and tried to deny me what was rightfully mine. But he gave you everything. So, what made you so special?" He sent another fist into Steve's face and abdomen.

"Nothin'. I'm just a kid from Brooklyn." As he gasped in a breath to another fist to his face, looking up to Schmidt, "I can do this all day."

"Oh, of course you can. Of course. But unfortunately I am on a tight schedule." He reached for a pistol, blue lines on its design as he pointed it to Steve.

"So am I!" Just as he turned to the windows, the Howling Commandos swinging in as they opened fire to Schmidt as he ran away.

"Steve! You might need this!" Anya threw him his shield, running beside him.

"Thanks!" As they both ran through the Hydra base, chaos ensuing as soldiers fought against Hydra's troops.

Morita ducked behind a cargo box, shouting into this comm, "We're in! Assault team, go!"

* * *

"Cut off one head, two more shall…" a Hydra solder gasped under Phillips foot before he shot him.

"Let's go find two more!"

Steve and Anya kept running after Schmidt only to be confronted by a Hydra solder with flame throwers, Christiane and Peggy appearing from the tunnel as they opened fire to the soldier, falling to the floor.

"You're late," the two ran alongside the two.

"Weren't you about to…" Peggy turned to him.

"Right," Steve continuing to run after Schmidt abroad the Valkyrie plane running down the runway.

Phillips pulled beside Peggy, Anya and Christiane, "Get in." He pressed. The accelerator, catching up on Steve as he jumped on at the back.

"Keep it steady," Steve and Anya reached out to the end of the Valkyrie plane.

"Wait!" Peggy pulled Steve down, kissing him fiercely.

* * *

Anya and Steve quietly maneuvered inside the plane, finding multiple smaller planes with targets written on them: Boston, Chicago, New York. Anya quickly went round the fighter planes, disabling them as Steve knocked out their pilots, the two of them running to the cockpit as Schmidt turned around, waiting for them.

"You don't give up, do you?" he snickered.

"Nope!" Steve leaped at Schmidt, fists flying as he tried to get him into a choke. Anya ran to the cockpit's control panel, trying to see if she could find a way to land the plane.

"You could have the power of the gods! Yet you wear a flag on your chest and think you fight a battle of nations! I have seen the future, Captain! There are no flags!" Schmidt shouted as he sent another first to Steve.

"Not my future!" As he flung his shield towards Schmidt, throwing him against the Tesseract's console.

Anya turned around, as if everything was in slow motion, Frigga's voice echoing into her ears, "Protect the Tesseract." She looked down to herself, suddenly in the Asgardian Valkyrie armor, the blue cape flying out from the energy's surge as she gripped the sword in her hand tightly, running full force to Schmidt.

He scrambled to get up, "What have you done?" picking up the Tesseract in his bare hands as energy surged out of it, revealing a portal into space above them. He barely registered Anya swing at him with the sword, as he leapt away, cutting him, as she went for the Tesseract flying out of his hands. The two of them leapt towards it, Anya's hands grasping onto it with Schmidt grabbing onto her, engulfing the two of them, taking them into the portal.

She felt the burn in her hands as she held the Tesseract briefly, a shot of energy shooting through her as if fusing her veins to the Space stone.

The cube fell to the ground, burning through falling down to the depths of the sea from the sky.

Steve gasped, his eyes wide at what he just saw before regaining his consciousness, running to the plane's control, trying to radio.

"Come in. This is Captain Rogers. Do you read me?"

"Captain Rogers, what is your…" Morita answered.

Peggy shouted over the radio, "Steve, is that you? Are you alright?"

"Peggy! Anya, she got pulled up into some sort of portal to somewhere while fighting. Schmidt's dead," he shouted back.

She glanced over at Christiane, her face white as sheet as she stumbled to ready herself standing, "What about the plane?"

"That's a little bit tougher to explain."

"Give me your coordinates, I'll find you a safe landing site."

"There's not going to be a safe landing. But I can try and force it down."

"I'll get Howard on the line, he'll know what to do."

"There's not enough time. This thing's moving too fast and it's heading for New York. I gotta put her in the water."

"Please, don't do this. We have time. We can work it out."

"Right now I'm in the middle of nowhere. If I wait any longer a lot of people are gonna die. Peggy, this is my choice." He dove the handles down, feeling the plane take a dive, water approaching, "Peggy?"

"I'm here."

"I'm gonna need a rain check on that dance"

Christiane came beside Peggy, a hand on her shoulders as she felt tears coming, "Alright. A week, next Saturday, at the Stork Club."

"You got it."

"Eight o'clock on the dot. Don't you dare be late. Understood?"

"You know, I still don't know how to dance."

"I'll show you how. Just be there."

"We'll have the band play somethin' slow. I'd hate to step on your…" the line went static going out completely as Peggy and Christiane cried together.

"Steve? Steve? Steve?"

* * *

Anya was shot into space, the surge of energy catapulting her through another portal as she saw the Red Skull fly into another one, disappearing from her sight.

She felt her breath shorten, her eyes closing as she felt nothing, her heart slowing down, coldness seeping through her skin. Her wrist and hands started to burn, the rune coin bracelet stinging into the inside of her wrist, exploding into pieces while a wave of blue energy enveloped Anya, pulling her into a portal.

She opened her eyes again to a bright light, a group of people standing before her as she walked towards them, seeing her parents to one side.  
" _Maman, papa?_ " Anya gasped, looking around to the others with the recognizable blue eyes she and her mother had.

"Geneviève, do not be surprised, my child. The protection rune has brought you here for a moment," A voice came from the man sitting in the center, his smile gentle to her.

"Am I dead?" She asked, looking around again in confusion and a sliver of fear.

"It is not your time yet," he replied.

"What about my sister?" She asked, coming closer to the man.

"She carries the gift now, there is much in store for you two." he spoke, eyes focusing to hers.

Anya truly opened her eyes, gasping for breath as she was shot out of a portal, rolling onto a patch of debris in what looked like a junk yard. She stared down to her left hand, the rune etched into her skin now.

She quickly got up, dusting off her armor as she looked to the strange land she was in, metallic junk around her. A flying vehicle dashed past her above, landing beside as a woman stepped out, her eyes widening at the sight of Anya.

"No, it can't be," she muttered under her breath.

"What? Where am I?" Anya shouted to her, the panic starting to settle in.

"I was the last Valkyrie, how is this possible?" The woman shook her head, standing closely to Anya as she looked to her. "Who are you, Asgardian?"

"I'm Anya, descendant to Vili, who are you?" Anya backed away, eyeing the woman suspiciously.

"Val," she took Anya in her confused state to the ship, closing the doors as she sat her down, handing her a glass of water. "Exiled myself after the battle with Odin's first-born, Hela. All my other sisters are dead. I was the last Valkyrie."

"Where am I?" Anya looked around, her breath still uneasy.

She moved around to the cockpit, flying the ship to a standing tower, "Saakar."

* * *

Loki paced around the Bifrost's gate, waiting for Heimdall to return from a meeting with Odin. As soon as Heimdall walked back up to the gate, he turned to see Loki, running his hands through his hair as he thought to himself.

"What is it, Loki?" Heimdall asked, coming to sit by the gate's lock on the steps.

"I've made my decision, forget what Father has to say about this!" he halted, a looking of wildness in his eyes. "Bring Anya here, please?"

"And what is your decision?" Heimdall asked, curiousity on his face.

"Our lives together. I cannot live up to the image Odin wants me to be, and I will never get to be Thor's equal. Anya wanted me to come be with her in Midgard, and that is what I am going to do." He looked out to the Bifrost, eyes searching.

Heimdall sighed, simply nodding, closing his eyes as he dropped the sword into the gate's key, turning as the Bifrost ignited. He searched for Anya, only to find Christiane, the image of her sleeping, the Bifrost taking her up and dropping her instantaneously in front of them.

Christiane landed with a thump, startling her as she got up, arms raised in defense.  
"What the hell?" She mumbled, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Heimdall looked to her, telling from the redness and stained cheeks she must have cried herself to sleep.

"Heimdall, this isn't Anya!" Loki looked to the gatekeeper.

"I tried to find her but the powers of the Bifrost directed me to Christiane," he replied.

Loki crossed the room to Christiane, panic and fear in his eyes, "Where is Anya?"

Christiane rubbed her eyes, simply hearing Anya's name already hurt her enough, "I don't know," she bit back. She didn't know whether her sister was dead or not, a sinking feeling of doubt eating her up.

Loki turned around, clasping his fists tightly as he felt himself shake with anger - Anya was the last thread for him, the last hope of existence without pursuing the throne. Without her, he had nothing else to lose anymore, he hated his life, hated the forbidden relationship Odin forced them to become. He hated himself and he'd punish himself for that.

Loki turned back around, opening his palms to Christiane as an invisible force launched her flying across the room to the Bifrost's edge.

"Loki, no!" Heimdall shouted as he tried to catch Christiane, disappearing into the darkness of space.

He ran back to the key, turning the helm of his sword. He turned around to the sound of Loki's footstep, vengeance in his eyes.

 _"Heimdall,"_ Odin's voice came to him as he closed his eyes, opening again to stand in front of the King of Asgard.

He bowed down on one knee, sword in front, "This is exactly why I forbad their relationship. He has the bringings of his origins, a Frost Giant. He can never be with a descendant of my family, I will not allow it. Seal the Bifrost off. Even if the younger one is my brother's descendant, we must protect ourselves first." Odin waved his hand, sending Heimdall back as he opened his eyes again, staring into the abyss.

He whispered, a final message as he felt a tear roll down his cheek, "Prepare yourself, little one. You must survive."

* * *

Christiane awoke falling back into her bed, startling herself as she opened her eyes, realizing where she was back in the barracks of the flats the SSR rented out for their agents.

She turned around to her side, seeing Peggy asleep on her bed across the room. Her eyes moved to the empty bed, where Anya used to sleep.

Her heart ached, trying to keep back tears in the silence of the night. She sniffled, muffling her sobs into her duvet as she tried to close her eyes, trying to succumb to the darkness. She thought was better than living at this point. Everyone she truly loved was dead and gone.

The next morning, Christiane awoke, checking her watch to read 5 o' clock as she quietly dressed herself, glancing to a sleeping Peggy while she pulled on her boots. She needed fresh air, and decided to walk through Hyde Park for the morning. Christiane quickly scribbled a note to Peggy, leaving it on her bedside table as she closed the door behind her.

Christiane walked for an hour, sitting on a bench watching the tranquility of the water reflect against the winter sun. The wind bit her cheeks, reddening and whipping her hair behind, she hadn't bothered to tie her hair up or curl it this morning.

After a while, she continued walking, taking the path by West Carriage Drive through the park, stopping over the bridge over the Serpentine, quietness around her.

She took a breath of air deeply, closing her eyes for a moment to embrace the quietness of the morning. She could hear from the distance the sound of a car approaching, driving quickly before the sounds of brakes halted. Her eyes flew open as she turned around to see men dressed in black try to pull her into the van, Christiane fighting against their grip.

She took down the first man easily, trying to make a run before she felt a pierce to her neck, her hand gingerly moving to take out a dart filled with liquid. Her eyes started to droop, as she felt herself start to fall, eyes closing as her body hit the floor unable to move. She felt nothing.

* * *

"Good, you brought her to me," the man in a white coat looked at her, hands clasped together in satisfaction.

She felt herself confined, unable to move, the voices around her muffled by a chamber she was in, a single window showing the lab. It looked like it was in some sort of bunker, with no windows.

"Freeze her, I have much work to do with the other one," he looked to the woman in the chamber, nodding to the technician as he pressed a button, cold air seeping through her. She felt her body go numb, her heart slowing to a halt, her eyes closing.

Zola turned around, gesturing to wheel in the other soldier, strapped to an operation bed as he held onto his arm, whatever thing it was on him, the pain burning at his shoulders where the scientist had melded the metal to him.

"Ah, you're here just in time," Zola turned with satisfaction back to the cyro-chamber. Bucky squinted against the brightness of the lab, his eyes flying open when he realized who was in the chamber.

"No!" he tried to pull himself from the bindings.  
"No!" he screamed, tears coming at his eyes.

Around them a siren blared, indicating the Allies entering their territory as the scientist glanced between the girl in the chamber and then to the soldier, cursing under his breath as he stuck a needle into the soldier's arm, causing him to close his eyes, unconscious.

"I can only take one of them! He is the new fist of Hydra! Bring the man, the girl is no use to me," he shouted, men around him scrambling to put everything into bags as they ran out the bunker.

Zola turned around one last time to look into the lab, a single girl in the chamber as if she was sleeping. He put in the passcode, the heavy metal door closing in front of him, burying whatever he could. His focus was the man, to become the ultimate super soldier for Hydra.

 _She was just a girl in winter._


	31. Chapter 31

**Author's Note:** Welcome to the next chapter of Christiane's adventures! Stay tuned!  
Would love to know what you think so far!

Steve Rogers, Bucky Barnes and Anya Bougourd will return.

* * *

Christiane's eyes burned, stinging from the brightness that surrounded her. One moment, she felt the blindness from the lab's lamps above her as she was submerged. First it was darkness, with black spots dotting her vision until she succumbed to the cold and vastness of the world she was plunged back into. Just like that, a beaming bright light suddenly engulfed her as she was propelled forwards, upwards through a trail of colors, a roaring wind in her ears. Christiane struggled to control her flight, turning and kicking through a force that resembled the Bifrost. She fought, until suddenly she was engulfed in white.

She was in a bright white place that seemed to extend beyond and on. She looked up to only find white. The ground was white, made of clay and scattered with smooth white pebbles. The landscape was barren, save for the gust of cold wind coming from nowhere.

She could feel it, all the emotions that had built up finally breaking the walls she had created. The rage of being captured, her fighting and training giving up on her just from a stab of a needle on her skin. Everything and everyone she lost, her family and loved ones, the future and her present.

"Is this what you had planned this whole time?", she screamed at the top of her lungs to the unknown, kicking up dust from the ground.

"Just take me already! I've lost everyone I love!", her voice cracking as hot tears started spilling down her cheeks. She spun around, screaming to the emptiness until she collapsed to the ground onto her knees.

"You've taken everything and everyone! What do you want?" she screamed louder, sobbing uncontrollably as she fell to her side, tucking herself in as small as possible.

The wind howled, roaring past as she covered her ears, closing her eyes tightly. Her breath sped up as she tried to gasp for air, her mind racing to the vision the Space Stone showed her in this specific place and position.

In a split second, she felt everything. In the next, she felt darkness surrounding her. She looked up to the stars, floating closer and closer to the brilliant white twinkle in the night sky as she closed her eyes, feeling ice and frost seep into her skin to her bones.


	32. Chapter 32

**Author's Note:** Hello! Last chapter was quite the cliff-hanger, so here we are - we've travelled through time because well, that's how cryo-freeze works..

Christiane was captured by Hydra and was put away into a cyro-freeze chamber. She has inherited the gift now, and that gift is her ability to control people's dreams (just like Anya's) and go to a place of limbo. I'll explain - she's able to go to a state of limbo in people's dreams/thoughts, like a ghost. She herself doesn't know she's able to do this, and nor will she be aware of what she can do because well, she's in cyro-freeze.

She's doing this unconsciously because Bucky and her are linked as soulmates and true lovers, therefore when her somewhat dormant state is able to dream which isn't very often (I'd like to say it's because of whether the temperature in the chamber goes up, therefore allowing brief brain activity before freezing over again and nothing happening), she's able to go to link herself to him in some way in this place of limbo, making her appear like a ghost to Bucky/The Winter Soldier.

Hope this makes sense. Ask me if you're curious about her gift!

The first song in this chapter is Rachmaninoff's _Elégie Opus.3 No. 1_ and the second one is Debussy's Claire de Lune (if you recall was played in Chapter 10).

It also goes between Bucky's/The Winter Soldier's point of view and in third person.

Hope you enjoy this chapter!  
Kiara

* * *

 **December** **1975**

"Soldat", said the general.

"Я готов отвечать (Ready to comply)".

The soldier was brought out from this cryogenic chamber for another mission, being left to thaw as the scientists around him monitored his vitals. In the moment of vulnerability between coming out of his cryogenic state, and before the general said the trigger words to activate the Winter Soldier, small flashes and seconds of images would flood into his mind. He would sometimes be overwhelmed by these images, leading to the scientists having to put him in a memory-suspending machine that would wipe his most recent memories. This was to make sure the Soldier had no emotional attachment to any of the kills and missions he would have to carry out before, and after. Any past memories from the Soldier's previous life as an American soldier were simply confined, overlapped by the personality of the Winter Soldier that Hydra and the Soviets had programmed him to. He was a weapon.

"Soldat", the general loomed over the Soldier as he sat strapped to the chair, heavily breathing after his activation, adrenaline rushing through his veins and muscles. He could easily rip his arm from the confinements, but knowing the general would have severe punishments to him afterwards he stayed, waiting for his orders.

He looked at the general out of the corner of his eyes, indicating he was listening.

"You will ride to one of our facilities. The scientists working there are traitors, wanting to defect to our enemies. You must eliminate all of them, and retrieve a vial that will be useful to us. Go upstairs in the warehouse, down the hallway to the last room on the right. It is located in Ivanovik's favorite book, _The Master and Margarita_. Make it look like an accident, and burn the facility to the ground. Is that understood?"

"да (Yes)".

The confinements were undone as scientists and assistants fitted him with his uniform and weapons. Guards walked with him armed to the garage where he was to take a motorbike.

* * *

I parked the motorbike in the forest. The facility was already in a remote part and knowing no one would hear or see what would happen, and the dense snow outside would prevent easy access to what would be left of it anyways. I could already hear the men talking from inside the facility. It was a small and old weaponry storage, converted to a chemist facility. They had left the front sliding doors open to let in a breeze, a lamp above shining a warm cast onto the snow in the gap between the doors.

The soldier stepped into the doors, taking his shots. He closed the warehouse doors, turning off the lamp and ran upstairs, his feet quiet against the cold concrete floor.

The corridor was dark, chiseled with shadows from the moonlight that shone through the window at the end of the corridor. The general said the vial was hidden in a manuscript of _The Master and Margarita by Bulgakov_ in the bookcase in the last room on the right.

All the scientists had been already eliminated on the bottom floor of the warehouse that served as the experimentation facility. In this room, there was just one pothole window about the size of a melon, just enough light to shine onto the piano. There was a sheltered bookcase where with a quick indication to the book, I was able to take the vial and place it in a sheltered container on my belt.

There was also a piano against one side of the wall and a desk across from it. As I took the vial into the container, suddenly, a clear note was played from behind me.

I turned around, scanning the room for anyone there.

There was no one.

I looked back to the bookcase, checking if there were any trip wires that I had set off. Nothing, just an immense façade of books and blueprints.

Again, the piano played behind me. I froze, waiting for the melody to stop before turning around to point my weapon at the piano.

A girl sat there, she looked relaxed and looked at me. Her eyes were bright despite the darkness of the room, she looked at me with concern and something like affection.

My nerves jumped, my heart raced and my hands began to shake. It wasn't something I was used to, yet there was this sudden burst of a tiny morsel of warmth springing from my chest, a feeling I could not explain or understand.

"посиди со мной? (Come sit with me?)" she said softly, patting to the empty spot next to her on the leather stool.

I walked towards her, cautiously sitting slowly beside her. Every ounce of my brain was telling me to attack, but my heart attracted me to her like a magnet.

"я знаю тебя (I know you)".

She began playing again, a song, which I recognized in the back of my memory, a flicker. It was beautiful but yet played so sadly.

Suddenly I saw myself back at the facility, the scientists around me with the song being played in the background as I was drowning in a tank. Icy water engulfed me, the muted melody playing in the background as scientists stood and watched me, taking notes on their clipboard.

I quickly gripped her wrist tightly; she stopped playing and looked at me, her eyes full of affection and love again. She understood immediately, nodding and started playing another melody. Again, it was played beautifully and sadly. My head felt like it had been hit, a stinging pain searing through my skull as images flashed by quickly, too fast to recognize.

"Нет, это не реально (No, this isn't real)", he gripped his head, squeezing his eyes shut.

She stopped playing and looked at him again. "Are you sure?" she replied in English.

His mind started to flicker again, images appearing hazily as if he were in the same situation, sitting at a piano, in a different life.

His eyes stung from the sunshine casting across the window to where they were sitting at the piano. He looked down at himself wearing pleated trousers, a white shirt and leather suspenders. Sitting next to him was the girl in a yellow dress and her brown hair curling just down her shoulders.

She smiled and laughed, as she tried to play something off the radio in the background. It hummed a piano solo accompanying a trumpet tune, a deep baritone voice singing to it.

Another flicker again, his head feeling as if it were about to explode. He looked up, closing his eyes.

He opened them again to see her laughing, her nose scrunched up a little and the sound of her laughter contagious, his lips felt a little upturn.

His gut, the Soldier's gut, told him this wasn't right, yet it felt so soothing and familiar to the Soldier and the fragment of an unknown identity within him.

They were dancing together, a cold wind gently flowing like silk around them, light crystals of snow fell from the pitch-dark night sky.

He looked up, closing his eyes to feel the light snowflakes fall onto his face delicately.

They were in a small square of a village with a fountain behind them, cobblestones beneath their feet. A piano was being played behind, people singing in a foreign language he pinpointed as French.

There were laughter; old men and women also dancing around them but keeping a distance from what he suspected was some privacy for the two, and the smell of champagne, coffee and warm bread floating in the cold air. She put her hand on his chin and cheek, pulling his gaze from upwards to her awaiting green eyes, darkened from the amber lighting of the bistro lamp behind her.

"Bucky", she said. He looked at her, but there was no sound. She said something again; he couldn't decipher the words on her mouth, and yet she was still smiling at him, a gaze of love, protection and devotion to him.

"Who are you?" he whispered in English, his eyes widening when he realized he was not speaking Russian anymore. She grazed her thumb over his cheekbones, the stubble moving with the motion.

As if coming up for air, he heard what she said loud and clear, shouting his name in front of her, "Bucky"!

He blinked hard, suddenly back in the piano room, the air whooshing past his ears. He quickly got up, stumbling back as he knocked over a lamp, gripping onto the wooden frame of the bookcase, splinters crunching under his metal hand as he tried to steady himself.

"No, this can't be real" he gasped in English, shaking his head he paced to the door, one hand on the frame, he looked at her again straight into her eyes, "You can't be real", the image of her in front of him started to scatter away with the breeze of snowflakes coming through the open window, being kicked up and flying away. He ran, trying to get away as fast as possible from what he saw, what he thought he saw.

He could hear his heavy breathing, his head swayed, and his flesh hand twitched, he heard her whisper as if in his own ear, "But I am", before he got to the front of the warehouse shutting the door and threw a few grenades, disappearing into the Siberian winter night whilst the warehouse blew into flames.

* * *

"Mission report, Soldat" barked the general.

The Soldier sat in his confinement chair with the same scientists observing him like a lab rat.

"Mission report, Soldat"

He took a deep breath, and swallowed, the images of the girl still fresh in his mind. "уничтоженный (Eliminated)".

"Very good." The general turned around to the scientists, "Freeze him. He will forget everything that happened on this mission when we will use him again."

The scientists scampered at the controls of the confinement seat, extending it into a standing format. The Soldier was raised and put back in the cryogenic chamber, a mask and goggles fitted over him.

Just as the ice started to seep into his skin, stopping his heart until the next time he would be revived, he looked at the scientists around him. A girl caught his eye at the back of the room at the doorframe, in her yellow dress watching him before she also disappeared like the wind, and his eyes closed.


	33. Chapter 33

**1979**

Peggy sat by her desk, glancing up at the desks in front of her of SHIELD operatives working with her. She became the best agent, a mentor to the future generation of SHIELD agents.

She looked to her watch, indicating five in the afternoon as she got up and left from her office room.

Peggy looked from her desk, signing the final documents for the day as she slowly got herself up, walking out into the hallway of the SHIELD base. Her footsteps echoed against the floor as she turned to a door, taking out a pair of keys she had around her neck as she turned the lock.

Her hands moved against the cool walls, trying to find the flick to the switch as lights came on one by one, illuminating boxes and filing cabinets of documents and artifacts, all lined up by year.

She kept walking, past the mission reports and artifacts all in their own name-tag and filing. She Peggy reached the end of the room, turning to a series of shelves with khaki green metallic boxes, an eagle painted on the front with the SSR emblem. Her eyes scanned for the B category.

She took off her heels, placing them on the side as she pulled the box out under, taking a huff as she read the name on the box.

 _'Christiane Gérard Bougourd M.I.A'_

Peggy sat on the, gingerly opening the box with a flurry of dust flying in the air. Christiane did not pack much into the box before leaving Brooklyn to Europe, it was evidently clear when all Peggy pulled out was an album of photographs she salvaged from both Anya and Christiane's boxes, as well as photographs taken during the war, compiling them into one album. She fished her hand into the box again, pulling out silver and gold arm cuffs that Christiane used, setting it on the closed lid of the SSR box. She flipped through the pages, peering into the box to find another small box in blue velvet. Peggy opened it, revealing a small diamond and sapphire ring as she felt her eyes water, continuing to flip through the pages of photographs in her own silence.

"Peggy," a voice came beside her, Howard looking down to her sitting in the corner.

"I know what you're going to say," Peggy hesitated, her reaction already defensive to Howard as she kept her eyes on the album, "But someone does not go missing just like that."

"Peggy, we talked about this," Howard sighed, holding his temples.

"I do not care what you are going to say Howard, I have my own opinions and I believe, I know Christiane is still out there. Nobody goes missing into thin air without a reason," she turned her face to Howard, her eyes set on his.

"Did it never occur to you that after she lost everyone, she might have just put herself out of her own misery?" Howard crossed his arms, exasperated.

Peggy looked to him in disgust, as she stood up confronting him, "How can you say such a thing? She was your friend too!"

"It's time to move on, Peggy. Why are you so set on the past? First with Rogers, then Anya and Christiane too!" Howard waved his arms in the air in frustration, his voice raising as he circled the place he was standing.

"I can't believe you," Peggy shook her head, eyes in disbelief. "Every single time we have this conversation and yet you believe she's dead."

"Stop living-" Howard shouted.

"No!" Peggy took a step towards him, eyes fierce and set, "Stop whatever it is you are trying to convince me of, Howard. Back off, I won't ask again. If you are not going to help me try to find her, then I'll do it myself."

Peggy put the things back into the box, shoving it back into its railing as she picked up her shoes, pushing past Howard, dumbstruck to say a word as he watched Peggy walk through the hallway of shelves.

* * *

 **Meanwhile on Saakar**

"Scrapper 142 and 388," The Grandmaster clasp his hands together, smiling mischievously, "What have you brought me?"

"Fighters for the battle arena," Anya replied, standing beside Val after delivering their trade.

"How much are you asking for?" He looked to them, an eerie cheerfulness to him.

"Two million units," Val replied, her eyes looking to the Grandmaster's guard stood, Topaz.

"That's a high price," he joked, raising his eyebrows.

"We only find you the best, Grandmaster." Anya smiled to him curtly, crossing her arms as her eyes moved to Topaz', narrowing her eyes to her.

"Of course! My favorite scrappers!", he clapped as he took out a screen, transferring units to Val and Anya. "Now remind me again, where did you come from 388?"

Val stepped in front, interjecting Anya from replying, "My sister, lost and now found." She put an arm around her, smiling enthusiastically.

"Terrific! I love a good family reunion story!" The Grandmaster waved his fingers, winking to the two before he waved his hands, "Well done, you're dismissed."

Anya and Val quickly left the premises, walking quickly without a word to their apartment as they closed the door behind them.

"I need a drink," Val went for the bar, popping a cork as she downed a whole bottle of sparkling liquid, chugging halfway before she offered some to Anya, "Have the rest?"

Anya shrugged, finishing off the bottle before the two of them plopped onto the couch.

"So tell me again that story how you fell from the sky?" Val laughed, a hand on her face as she leaned her elbow on a cushion.

"Val, it's been 36 Midgard years since we talked about that. I told you I was fighting in Midgard and then got pulled into a portal by the Tesseract and ended up here."

"How come I never got to see your mental powers?" Val opened another bottle, taking sips of it now.

Anya smiled, "That's because you've been asleep most of it, controlling your dreams is rather fun."

"Didn't the prophecy foresee that your sister would receive the gift?" Val gulped down her drink.

"I didn't know interacting with the Tesseract would allow me to have powers permanently," she shrugged, leaning her head back against the wall. "God knows how my little sister is," Anya sighed, tears forming in her eyes.

"Well whatever the Tesseract did, you haven't aged a day!" She laughed, before looking to Anya sincerely, a smile forming at her lips as she pulled her into a hug, "What do you say? Let's go train our fighters?" Val offered her the rest of her drink, a smile on her face.


	34. Chapter 34

**Author's Note:** Remember what happened when Christiane rescued the two men in the forest?

Very excited to share this next part of the story! It's something I planned since the beginning and hope you enjoy it! Each chapter for this segment will have a sort of theme to it, indicated with the song to give a mood and feel for Christiane and her surroundings.

Welcome to the 80s!

If it's any indication to the ending of this chapter, imagine Christiane's new look and as Lorraine Broughton in Atomic Blonde. Cue the song and imagine the last scene and her emotions, watching everything go past her.

 ** _Blue Monday - New Order_**

* * *

 **November 1988**

 **Somewhere in Slovakia**

The wheels creaked under the slight weight of a woman on a trolley, as two men pushed it through the abandoned lab.

"Будьте как можно тише (Be as quiet as possible)" the older man whispered.

"How do we cover up our tracks?" the younger one replied.

"We don't. The coming snow and winter will make sure we were never here. No one knows of this bunker, they left her here all alone." The old man waved his hand, the younger boy running to start the engine. He walked around to the other side of the truck, lifting the girl into the backseat of the truck.

The old man took one look to her, her frosted lips iced with snowflakes, a sigh coming from him as she shook his head, a small smile forming.

"Lelia. Лелия."

* * *

"Viktor, this is risky and we will be moving to Slovenia in a week!" his wife paced around the living room, arms crossed as she glanced nervously to her husband.

"My love, she once saved my life and Ernst's also." The old Sokovian man watched his wife as his son brought in a tray of peppermint tea and ginger biscuits, sitting beside his father. "She is the reason why I was able to come home. To you, to Alek and to Milos."

"And you expect her to defrost like a frosted chicken in Milos' old bedroom?" The wife came to sit beside Viktor, finally letting out a huff.

"I owe it to her. I owe it to Ernst also."

"Ernst has been dead for over 20 years, you do not owe him anything," she mumbled, taking a sip of her tea.

"I owe it to his son then. If Ernst was not saved that day by her, he would not have been honorably discharged and go home to his wife and son." Viktor grumbled as he broke a ginger biscuit in half, the crumbles sticking to his grey mustache.

"Papa, you said she was young, but that was 44 years ago. Why hasn't she aged?" Alek poured more tea for his parents.

"I do not know what they did to her, only that they froze her in time and whatever it was, they were unfinished with experimenting on her," Viktor replied, his voice flat and deep, years of wear on the wrinkles on his forehead.

"What if she's hostile towards us? Imagine the last memory she had, before being put in that freezer?" Viktor's wife's eyes widened, placing her tea cup warily on the table.

"She will remember me. Lelia has come far," Viktor replied, a small smile appearing on his lips as he turned his head to a photograph in black and white rested on the side-table, a young Ernst with crutches and Viktor in their military days after their rescue.

* * *

She felt brightness against her eyelids, something soft around her despite the cold she felt right to her bones.

Her hands touched the fabric under her fingertips, soft. It had a fragrant smell, similar to flowers, mixed with the smell of baked bread and goulash wafting in the air.

She opened her eyes slowly, becoming accustomed to the shining of a lamp on a bedside table. The smell of goulash immediately caused her stomach to grumble. Before that, she got herself up slowly, trying to remember the last memory she had - men taking her away, a scientist sticking a needle into her and the feeling of the cold seeping into her skin and bones. She shivered at the thought, sitting at the bed's side as she looked around the room.

Postcards lined the walls from places around the world, a wooden bed and dark red ottoman carpet - she heard the sound of a voice from the other room, something on the radio in a language she couldn't quite pinpoint. She heard the quiet bubbles from what she thought from the goulash.

"You're awake, Lelia." A young man, around in his twenties, came to stand by the doorframe, smiling softly to her. In his arms were some clothes.

"Lelia," she whispered on her lips. "Trying to recall the memory of the word, "Where was I?"

"Slovenia, my father and I went to rescue you. You are now in Sokovia." He smiled, placing the clothes on the desk beside. "Some clothes for you, the bathroom is over there." He pointed to another door in the room. "Take your time, mama is making goulash. It still needs some more time to stew."

She reluctantly took the clothes, opening the bathroom door, a light already on inside as she turned to look to herself in the mirror.

For the first time, Christiane looked at herself. She wore the same clothes since her kidnapping and Zola freezing her. And yet, she was here, as if waking from sleep the next morning. She showered, washing her hair as she dressed herself in the black jeans and white tank top the boy gave her.

She creeped out into the hallway, peering into the kitchen where the table was set, a man watching her come in.

He smiled, taking off his glasses as he gestured for her to sit at the table.

"Do you remember me, Lelia?"

"Is this a dream?" She glanced around the room, back to the man.

He sat contently, crossing his arms as he leaned forwards, "You believe this is a dream?"

"I was a prisoner, Zola experimented on me just yesterday," she looked down, her hands knotting into fists.

"You are no longer a prisoner, but you have travelled far," he leaned back into his seat, watching her reactions.

"What does that mean?" She narrowed her eyes at him, her eyes moving around the room again, "Where am I?"

Viktor replied cooly, "You are in my house in Sokovia. The today is the 23rd of November 1988 and you have been asleep for 44 years."

Christiane felt her breath hitch, lodged in her throat as she tried to comprehend. Instead of running, she sat paralyzed, trying to breath.

"Lelia, you are safe with me, with my family. I promise you that. You saved me and Ernst all those years ago, do you remember?"

She sat still, turning her head to face the man as realization and shock crossed her face, "It's you?"

Viktor waved to Alek, "Go get the photograph, will you?" Alek nodded, quickly returning with the photograph of a young Viktor and Ernst as Christiane held it in her hands, flashes of images returning to her mind.

 _"Go, Lelia. I hope we meet again soon so we can repay you one day." Viktor looked to the darkness of the forest behind her, glancing back at her._

 _"Пусть Бог защитит вас и вашу семью (May God protect you and your family)" Christiane stood, smiling to the two as she helped them up._

 _"Спасибо, Лелия" Ernst smiled, turning around on his good leg as Viktor supported his other side, the two of them disappearing into the night._

"My God, it is you," she looked up to the man, quickly getting up and hugging him tightly as he looked at her in a sort of shock and amusement, placing a hand on her back.

"I told you I would repay you one day. I am sorry I could not find you sooner," he smiled to her, holding her by her arms, looking at her like a daughter. "I found you through a cousin who secretly defected from the laboratory to America. He gave me this information just before his death."

She nodded, moving back to her seat as she watched the young man and a woman sit at the table, the woman scooping goulash onto the plates with a warm bread basket in the middle.

Viktor smiled in amusement watching her, gesturing towards his wife and son, "My wife, Sandra and my youngest son, Alek."

"And an oldest?" Christiane looked to him.

He chuckled, "Ah yes, my Milos, my oldest son. He is a photographer, exploring the world. You woke in his room, the postcards are what he sends to us every month."

Christiane smiled, a small sense of happiness sprouting from her heart, knowing the people she saved were happy, had a family.

"Please, eat Lelia!" Viktor gestured

"Is your name really Lelia?" Alek looked to her, a spoonful of goulash in his mouth.

She shook her head, a small smile on her lips, "My name is Christiane."

Viktor waved his hand, "I shall call you Lelia, it suits you for the warrior you are."

* * *

After dinner, the family set to explaining history to Christiane, explaining each decade through the feats and defeats of the world around them.

"Can I go outside?" Christiane asked, peering out the window to the lights of the Sokovian capital, Novi Grad, in the distance.

"You may go outside with Alek and I now if you would like? We can have some hot chocolate and watch the stars. It is a very clear night." Viktor smiled, slowly getting out of his arm chair as he went to the kitchen.

Alek turned to Christiane, "Come, let's go." She followed him as they sat in the garden of what Christiane saw as a farmhouse in the countryside, a snowy-peaked mountain on one side and fields on the other.

"It must be beautiful during the daytime," she whispered out to the cool wind.

"It really is," Alek smiled to the night sky, "I don't think Papa told you yet that we are moving in a week?"

Christiane turned to him, head to the side, "No? Where will you go?"

Viktor interrupted, setting cups on a tray down as he sat with his son and Lelia.  
"My wife wants to return to her home country in Slovenia; but it means you would have to go somewhere."

Christiane bowed her head down, a feeling of sadness in her heart.

Viktor looked uncomfortable, a sadness in his eyes as he watched the girl look down, defeated. "Lelia, do not worry. I have arranged for you to go to Berlin. Ernst's youngest son, Rudolph-Ernst is there as a university student. You can have a chance again, to study, to have a job and start over again."

She quietly nodded, looking up to the man with worry on his face as she smiled back reassuringly.  
"Thank you, Viktor," she breathed out, "For giving me a second chance."

He nodded in return, sighing, "It would mean that your old name, Christiane cannot exist anymore. It's simply too dangerous and I do not know if there are men who would come get you one day. It is safer to have a new alias."

"Then I will be Lelia," she smiled to him gently.

"Lelia Falco," he smiled in return. "Ernst's son took on his mother's last name. You will have a brother in Ernst-Rudolph. I believe it would do him some good to have a sister in you. He has no family anymore."

"When do I leave?"

"Tomorrow afternoon, the night train from Novi Grad will take you directly to Berlin. You will have border controls at the border in Hungary and Czechoslovakia before you cross into East Germany. Alek will make your identification papers under your new name."

Christiane sighed, a brief smile to Viktor and Alek, "Thank you."

Viktor returned the smile, passing a mug of hot chocolate to her as they sat in silence.

She looked back up to the stars as her mind wandered to Anya, Bucky, Steve and Peggy.

* * *

"What is this?" Christiane held up a box with an image of a woman smiling in blonde hair on it.

"It's hair dye. Papa said you would fit in better with your hair blonde instead of brown so the authorities do not get suspicious if they were to bring you and Rudolph-Ernst together." Alek smiled, watching her inspect the box curiously.

She looked up to the mirror, her breath shaking as she stared into her own eyes. She felt pain and confusion since waking, despite the small brief happiness she felt in being surrounded by Viktor's family, she knew her life would never be the same.

"Can you bring me some scissors?" Christiane focused on her own reflection.

"Why?" Alek looked to her in confusion.

"I need a new start," she replied shakily, a gut feeling of her pain mixed with anger as she gripped the sink. Yet, she felt empty. Years lost because of what Hydra did to her, taking her loved ones away and erasing her future and past.

* * *

She looked back at herself in the train's cabin mirror, almost unrecognizable save for the green eyes, a deep jade color; the blue piercing and orange-gold slit almost dull. Her hands touched her short messy blonde hair, swiping the make-shift fringe to the side.

She leaned against the cushioned seat, her legs stretched out onto the seat opposite hers, jeans ripped at the knees as she watched the darkness fly past her from the window. She vowed to find whatever was left of Hydra and bring it down with her own bare hands. For Anya, for Bucky, for Steve. For her own sanity.


	35. Chapter 35

**Author's Note:**

Hello lovelies! Thought I should mention it'll become harder to post frequently, but I'll try once a week, probably Fridays or Saturdays - life of a uni student!

Languages in this chapter are German, French and Latvian (apologies for Google Translate…)

Songbird - Fleetwood Mac

Nur geträumt - Nena

* * *

Rattling wheels clanked against the tracks rhythmically, a lullaby against the night.

Christiane opened her eyes, standing in a cloud of smoke and steam. Each breath as if coating the walls of her lungs, suffocating but also liberating her exhales. She slowly looked around, her heart leaping as she took a step forwards. Her feet started running, distinct echos of her heels against the concrete floor through the haze.

" _Le train à destination de Beaufort, départ à 6 heures 28 partiras en 3 minutes_ (The train for Beaufort, departure at 6:28 will leave in 3 minutes)"

She stumbled, accidentally knocking into a man in an army uniform, with bright blue eyes, as they both turned around looking to each other. Her Bucky.

Thoughts rushed through her mind, her voice unable to find its will.

She wanted to run to him, hold him in her arms, to feel safe and whole once again instead of the lifeless hollowness she felt now. But yet, she could not talk, she could not control her own reactions as if her body took on a life of it's own, standing still and watching him in awe.

Her face reminded him of someone he once knew, his heart beating vigorously like a drum. His lips parted as he tried to find a name to her face, flits of images flying through his mind. He felt an abrupt stab to his head, pain searing as tried to ignore it, his eyes closed. The distant echoes of a man singing french in the distance on the piano, a blur as he saw himself watching himself dance with this girl under the snow and stars.

He pursed his eyelids, opening them again.

Her green eyes shone bright through the smoke coming from the steam engine, her dress' skirt dancing slightly in the wind.

They drank in each other's presence, eyes taking each other in amongst the sudden flutter of people rushing around them to board the train.

An old man blew a whistle as he watched the woman take a final look, turning around reluctantly as she continued running, climbing up the stairs to the wagon. She took one last look to Bucky, walking away, his back towards her.

He stood at the end of the train, trying to recollect his thoughts, his mind trying to consume himself as it beat itself repeatedly trying to fight his memories, whatever the images he saw were.

He felt himself turn around, running at full force as he jumped into the train as it left, scanning each cabin for her frantically.

Something in him told him to turn back, to allows follow to her.

His hand gripped onto the railings as he walked into the next wagon, the dining cart, looking down at himself in a suit and tie. He looked up, seeing her rise from her seat across the wagon in a dark blue dress, red lipstick on her lips and her hair in short curls as she smiled to him for a moment, turning to walk deeper into the cabin as he followed. Lights started to cast throughout the cabin, the windows sending crystalized glares as it felt like sun reflected against snow. He looked out the window to see the train running in a white and barren land.

He kept running after her, the next wagon shifting him into a pair of brown trousers and white t-shirt as she smiled at him through a crowd of men and women in army, navy, and nurses uniform celebrating. She stood out distinctly, a dark blue bellboy cap on her head as she wore a striped blue and white sweater and blue trousers, moving backwards as she smiled to him again, watching him fight against the crowd.

He remembered the bellboy cap, seeing her once in it as he walked beside her in a forest. He remembered her eyes, her smile as a name came to his lips as he followed her into the next cabin.

" _Cristiana! Cristiana!_ " he shouted, trying to catch her attention.

He felt his heart quicken, his once flesh arm on his left side suddenly cold as he looked down in shock to metal, a hand in a fist.

He stumbled, crashing into the seat by the window as his breathing picked up, the pain in his head felt like it was on fire, burning and searing each nerve of his brain bit by bit.

He looked around the wagon for her, looking back to himself in a neoprene suit, his arms locked to a chair as he was surrounded in a lab. A vision of a window in front of him in the train wagon.

Against the bright whiteness of the outside, barren and dry as it looked, he saw a girl sitting in a train cabin with short blond hair sleeping in her black jeans, combat boots and white top. She looked skinnier, dark circles under her eyes.

He screamed out her name again, " _Cristiana!_ "

"Удалите его воспоминания. (Erase his memories.)"

* * *

Christiane woke up to the train slowing down as it came into a city, sunrise seeped through as she rubbed her eyes, a sting to her heart as she realized she was alone. She clasped her cheeks into her hands, taking a deep breath in, trying to put away thoughts of Bucky, her past life.

She muttered to herself, a quiet whisper against the train conductor's voice talking that they were arriving into East Berlin.

" _C'est dans le passé, c'est dans le passé,_ Christiane. (It's in the past, it's in the past, Christiane)". Each bone of her hands shook in anxiousness, her eyes set on the outside as they slowly drove into the city.

The train screeched to a halt as she pulled on the shearling aviator jacket Viktor gave her as she swung the duffel bag with her new clothes over her shoulder. She stepped down from the train, amongst the bustle and rush of other passengers.

"Lelia?" A man behind her questioned.

She turned around, eyes defensive as she looked to a man around her age, slight freckles on his nose and cheeks and almost white blond hair and sapphire-blue eyes. He stood taller than her.

" _Hängt ab, wer fragt_ (Depends who's asking)," she replied.

"Rudi," he extended his hand out to her, a goofy smile on his face.

She looked back at him, eyes narrowing.

" _Es tut uns leid, Rudolph-Ernst. Ich nehme an, du bist meine Schwester?_ (Sorry, Rudolph-Ernst. I guess you're my sister?)"

" _Das hat Viktor gesagt_ (That's what Viktor said)" she replied cooly, taking his hand.

" _Onkel Viktor hat mir gesagt, dass du einen Ort brauchst, an dem du dich für eine Weile ausruhen kannst?_ (Uncle Viktor told me you need a place to lay low for a while?)" he took her bag as they started walking out the station.

" _Das hat Viktor gesagt_ (That's what Viktor said)" she replied again, taking in her surroundings, to the new age.

" _Du redest nicht viel, oder?_ (You don't talk much, do you?)" he walked alongside her as they took a turn down stairs into the U-Bahn.

She tried to keep her eyes focused on where she was going in shock, almost abandonment from the era she came from and yet here she was in a future she had no knowledge of, with no identity.

"You look horrible" Rudi chuckled as he let her into an empty U-Bahn wagon.

Christiane turned to glare at him as he smiled back, "Are you usually this blunt?"

He offered her a seat, sitting beside her as he wiggled himself into comfort, crossing his legs with a smile of amusement in his face.  
"Welcome to East Berlin."

* * *

Rudi climbed up the stairs to the top floor, Christiane's bag over his shoulders.

He turned around to look to her with a smile before opening the door to the apartment.

Christiane stepped into an apartment, books filled one side of the wall of the living room.

" _Ich lege deine Tasche in dein Zimmer_ (I put your bag in your room)," he pointed to the room he came out of.

"I get my own room?" Christiane looked in confusion between the room and Rudi.

Rudi shrugged, walking over to the sofa as he plopped down, " _Natürlich ist dies auch dein Zuhause_ (Of course, this is your home now too)"

She nodded back silently, glancing around the room to the book-shelf, the Ottoman carper on the wooden floors, the wooden bench in the corner serving as a dinner table and old vintage posters of airlines and skiing holiday advertisements. She had to admit that she liked the apartment, it had a personal touch and coziness to it, sheltering from the cold, grey and frigidness of East Berlin.

" _Wo ist das Badezimmer?_ (Where's the bathroom?)" she looked back to him.

" _Da ist eins in deinem Zimmer_ (There's one in your room)" he pointed to her room as he stood back up, walking to the kitchen, " _Wasser? Bier? Wodka? Orangensaft?_ (Water? Beer? Vodka? Orange juice?)"

She smiled briefly, " _Wasser bitte_ (Water, please)", before she ducked out the living room into her room.

The room was bright, in white with a dark blue carpet in front of the bed. Rudi had left some slippers for her, woolen mittens and towels on the chest of drawers next to a small mirror.

She flicked the lights on to the bathroom, shaking her hair out in front of the mirror as she closed the door behind her.

Christiane closed her eyes, taking a deep breath as she nervously held the rune bracelet between her fingers.

"Heimdall, can you see me?", she whispered softly.

She waited for an answer, silence ringing her ears as she tried again, exhaling as she tried to reach out into some invisible force around her.

"Heimdall, please let me go back to Asgard, please," her voice cracked, muffling back a sob.

The silence deafened her as she opened her eyes to no reply, looking back at her reflection in the mirror, tears rolling down her cheeks. Her lips parted as she realized she had seen this exact moment, standing before herself - a girl she knew was herself, yet she barely recognized. Her hands frantically went to the sink, turning on a rush of cold water as she splashed herself vigorously in the face, rubbing into her cheeks and face as if to wash away her past and emotions.

She left back up, her hairline soaked, trying to recognize herself in the mirror.

" _Lelia? Magst du Rührei oder Spiegelei?_ (Lelia? Do you like scrambled eggs or fried eggs?)" Rudi's voice came by the door.

" _Spiegelei bitte_ (Fried eggs, please)", she replied, grabbing the towel behind her to wipe her face.

"Okay, nimm dir Zeit! (Okay, take your time!)" his voice replied, as she heard his footsteps leave.

Her eyes moved back to her reflection as she came out the door, closing the bedroom door, beginning to unpack the bag Viktor had given her.

* * *

Christiane came out, sitting by the bench as Rudi came out of the kitchen with breakfast.

" _Danke_ ," she smiled to him as he sat across from her.

" _Labu apetīti!_ (Bon appetite!)" he smiled back.

She looked to him, repeating the words " _Labu apetīti?_ "

"Latvian," he shrugged, tucking into his plate.

"I remember your father told me he was from Latvia," she smiled quietly, taking a piece of bread to her mouth.

Rudi set down his cutlery, looking at her in confusion, his mouth semi-full, "That's impossible, my father passed away in 1970. Дядя Viktor (Dyada - Uncle Viktor) told me you're the same age as me. I was two years old when he passed."

Christiane realized her fault, hesitantly looking back up to Rudi from her plate.

"Dyada Viktor didn't tell me everything. But you can trust me, Lelia." He leaned over the table, eyes hopeful and filled with concern, "I know how it is to lose everything and everyone you love. I lost my father first and then my mother and older sister."

She continued looking in silence to him, his eyes fixed on hers before she took a deep breath in, closing her eyes briefly, looking back to him in pure honesty.

"I was born in 1922. I had a family in France. Both my parents passed when my older sister and I were young. Anya and I moved to the United States to flee the war, only to be thrown back into it a few years later to fight." Her voice hesitated, taking a breath in, "My name is Christiane. I met Viktor and Ernst in the forest while we were in Czechoslovakia in '44."

Rudi chuckled, "My father wrote a story about you in his letters to me. He called you Lelia because you came in the night with a bow and arrow, lifting the tree off his leg. He thought you were the goddess of mercy. I always thought you were just a character in a story, but then Dyada Viktor called and told me you were a family friend needing help."

Her lips turned, a small smile to him.

"What else?" he asked her.

"I lost Anya, my older sister, best friend and the man I loved in '44 also. I have no one left in this life. Then I got captured and frozen in time. Viktor and his son came to find me a few days ago," she looked back down, her words echoing through her.

"You have a family in me. We may not admit it, but we need each other," he smiled, hope in his eyes. "Anyways," he continued, "Dyada Viktor wants you to study here. I'll be honest, he thinks I'm still studying but I finished last semester."

"What did you study?" she took a bite into her eggs.

"Engineering, but who wants a job working in a factory probably in this shit hole?" he shrugged, looking to the window.

"What have you been doing since?"

"The Resistance in East Berlin."

She looked to him, "I want to join."

Rudi furrowed his eyebrows, "Are you sure?". His eyes moved behind her, eyes widening, " _Sūdi_! (Shit!), I've got a meeting to get to. It'll be late by the time I get back but if you want, we can meet at this bar," he scrambled for a piece of paper and pen as he scribbled the address, "Meet me here at 9pm!"

He got up, taking his plates to the kitchen and he shrugged on his coat, his hand waving to the house, "You've got to rest. There's music, books, films on video!"

Christiane nodded, watching him intrigued at his antics scrambling around. She chuckled to herself quietly as he hopped around to pull on his boots.

"Don't leave the house yet! I'll show you around later!"

"That's hardly fair," she replied.

"I need to make a good impression of the shit-hole outside!" he waved to her, closing the door behind him.

Christiane looked around in the quietness of the apartment, the faint barking of a dog outside.

She continued to finish her breakfast before walking to the kitchen, therapeutically cleaning each dish before she wandered around the apartment, browsing the book-shelf as she collected a pile in her arms before plopping herself onto the sofa.

Once the books were finished, to her fascination on the books Rudi held on history, art and architecture, she moved to his vinyl shelf, taking out a few albums as she put one on the player, slipping on the headphones.

The winter's sky cast an deep-peach orange sunset, casting it's light and shadows across the apartment as Christiane realized she had been sitting against the wall for the last few hours, books strewn around her, disc after disc as she felt like she tried to catch up to the new age.

She closed her eyes to the opening of a piano playing, a long soft voice that made her heart well. Her hands flipped the disc's slip, finger pointing to the song, _Songbird by Fleetwood Mac._

Her head rested against the wall, opening her eyes to the ceiling, a silent whisper to herself, "You would have loved this, Bucky."

Eyes closed again, listening to the music carry on.

* * *

Christiane stepped outside in the dark after an hour memorizing the names of streets and each turn on the map Rudi left of East Berlin for her.

Her combat boots crunched against the first sheets of thin ice on the pavement, cold wind whipping her short hair, contrasting against the grayness of the city.

She turned, ducking her head down as she walked through the streets, turtleneck up to her chin, hands in her coat's pocket. Occasionally, she would glimpse up at the street signs, knowing where she was going.

As she reached the club, Rudi waited for her as he hugged her.  
" _Du bist nicht verloren gegangen!_ (You didn't get lost!)"

" _Ich kann mich wenigstens an den Heimweg erinnern_ (I can remember the way home at least)", she smiled briefly, following him inside the blaring music.

Around her, people were dressed in black, some with weird metal pointed tips on their jackets, others with what she could only describe as a tall stripe of hair on a man's head that to her resembled a rooster.

Rudi passed her a drink from the bar, taking a drink out of his glass.

" _Was ist das?_ (What is that?)" she shouted over the music.

She took a smell before making a disgusted face, handing the glass back to Rudi.

" _Es riecht nach Benzin!_ (It smells like gasoline!)" she shouted back at him as he laughed, taking the glass from her.

Rudi pointed his hand to the crowd behind him dancing to the beat, " _Das ist die Jugend Ostberlins!_ (This is the youth of East Berlin!)"

" _Tanzen war zu meiner Zeit anders_ (Dancing was different back in my day)", she muttered.

" _Was?_ (What?)" Rudi shouted again, turning around to get another glass for himself.

" _Das ist was du zum Spaß machst?_ (This is what you do for fun?)" Christiane crossed her arms, looking to the crowd.

He nodded enthusiastically, " _Es macht Spaß, bis die Behörden uns jeden Abend abschalten. Dann laufen wir nach Hause!_ (It's all fun until the authorities come shut us down every night. Then we run home!)"

She winced against the blaring of the music, someone screaming words with the song.

" _Welche Art von Musik ist das? Es ist schrecklich!_ (What kind of music is this? It's horrible!)" she winced as she shouted to Rudi.

He swatted his hand, watching the crowd, " _Sie haben keine Ahnung, wie die Musik in West-Berlin ist. Ich schmuggele CDs aus dem Westen._ (They have no idea how the music is in West Berlin. I smuggle discs in from the West)"

" _Wie ist es im Westen?_ (How is it in the West?)" she glanced to him curiously.

He shook his head quickly, disapproval on his lips, scanning the crowd until he nodded just as quickly, " _Es ist der Himmel! Ich warte darauf, dass diese verdammte Mauer fällt._ (It's heaven! I'm waiting for that damn wall to fall.)" Rudi glanced around, bending down to whisper to Christiane, " _Bleib hier, ich komme wieder._ (Stay here, I'll be back)"

She nodded, watching him go into the crowd and disappear. Christiane stood watching the crowd dance, the music changing to a song that Christiane swayed to slightly, her eyes still scanning for Rudi as she went into the crowd, pushing her way through the dancing and blaring over the speakers ( _Nur geträumt - Nena)._

 _Ich hab heute nichts versäumt_ (I did not miss anything today)

 _Denn ich hab nur von dir geträumt_ (Because I only dreamed of you)

 _Wir haben uns lang nicht mehr gesehen_ (We have not met in a long time)

 _Ich werd mal zu dir rüber gehen_ (I'll go over you)

 _Alles was ich an dir mag_ (Everything I like about you)

 _Mein es so wie ich es sag_ (Mine it as I say)

 _Ich bin total verwirrt_ (I am completely confused)

 _Ich werd verrückt wenn's heut passiert_ (I'm going crazy if it happens today)

 _Ich bin so allein, ich will bei dir sein_ (I'm so alone, I want to be with you)

 _Ich bin so allein, ich will bei dir sein_ (I'm so alone, I want to be with you)

 _Ich bin so allein, ich will bei dir sein_ (I'm so alone, I want to be with you)

A man shouted, passing the message as the sentence repeated loudly around her, " _Lauf! Die Bullen kommen!_ (Run! The cops are coming!)"

The crowd suddenly moved into one direction, Christiane moving in the other as she ran to the back door, trying to find Rudi.

She stumbled through the door into a back alley, finding Rudi knelt on the floor, his lips bloodied and cut as a man held him by his collar, arm in a fist in the air. She quickly pulled up her turtleneck, covering half of her face.

The man turned to her, dumping Rudi's limp body to the ground as he tried to hold himself up, " _Bitte, tu ihr nicht weh_ (Please, don't hurt her)," he coughed.

 _Ich bin so allein_ (I am so alone)

 _Ich werd verrückt_ (I'm going crazy)

 _Ich bin so allein_ (I am so alone)

 _Ich werd verrückt_ (I'm going crazy)

 _Verrückt verrückt verrückt verrückt verrückt_ (Crazy crazy crazy crazy crazy)

The man stalked closer to Christiane as she readied herself, his right fist flying to her face as she ducked, her right arm striking him in a fist to his temples as he stumbled back. She took a step forwards, knocking him in the mouth with her left elbow as he stumbled again, gripping his mouth. She advanced on him, kicking him as she pulled him down, twisting his arm in the process. She stood up, guarding Rudi behind her defensively.

The man howled in pain, " _Wer bist du?_ (Who are you?)", running to her with a guttural shout in his voice before Christiane mustered her strength, kicking him through the abdomen, tiny blue sparks flying from the impact as he flew across the alley, hitting against the wall, his body falling to the ground unconscious.

"What the -" Rudi looked to the man then to her, "Is he dead?"

She turned around, putting his arm around her, "No, he'll be out for a few minutes at least," she glanced around the alley.

"Turn here, it leads to another road, they won't find us." Rudi pointed to a doorway into an apartment building as Christiane opened the door, holding his limping body through a floral-wallpaper hallway. "How did you do that?"

"Do what?" Christiane took a quick glance behind her back.

"Fight like that. I didn't think the army trained people that well in combat?" he looked behind too out of habit.

Christiane opened a door, leading out onto the road as they walked together, Christiane quickly putting Rudi against a wall as she fished out a handkerchief, wiping the blood from the cuts on his face.

"It's the past," she replied cooly, taking him around her again.

After a few minutes walking, they stumbled into the apartment, Rudi quickly shrugging his coat off on the floor as he laid down on the carpet, arms and legs splayed.

"I'm never taking a meeting for Nik again," he muttered.

"Resistance work?" She asked him, coming from the kitchen with a bottle of vodka in her hands and a tissue as she dabbed it on his wounds.

"Couldn't agree on a price for goods from the West," he laughed, breathing out.

"How hard is it to go to the West?" she looked to him as he winced under the sting from the wounds.

"You'd need a good reason otherwise they'd never let you through," he laughed again, "Why?"

"I just want to see," she muttered, putting more alcohol to another tissue.

"It's better than here, I'll tell you that," he smiled, sarcasm laced in his voice.

"And how are you able to have a place like this with so many things from the West?" she persisted, pushing a little to hard on a cut.

" _Sakta! Sakta!_ (Ouch! Ouch!)" he hissed as he took the tissue from her hands, sitting upright with her against the sofa.

"Latvian?" Christiane raised an eyebrow.

He nodded, "My father left everything for me, all his fortune he made after the war. After my mother passed, I left Latvia and moved here to study. I couldn't get entry to the West so I've been stuck here ever since," he shrugged. "This place, it's better than anywhere else out there. All my dreams and aspirations put in here."

"Waiting for the wall to fall?" She chuckled.

He smiled, "You have no idea how much I want it gone." Rudi turned to her, quietly, "Thank you, for saving me back there."

She shook her head, "It's nothing. Just don't get yourself in a brawl like that again."

He chuckled, nodding his head slightly, "I'll try".

They sat there in silence, Rudi getting up to the kitchen as he returned with two cups and a teapot, the faint echos of a police's siren in the distance outside. Rudi turned to her, "Māsa (Sister), can you tell me about your life before?"

She nodded, taking a deep breath in as she started from the beginning.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Would love to know what you think so far about the story and also the dream scene in this chapter! What do you think about Rudi also?


	36. Chapter 36

_**There's No You - Frank Sinatra**_

* * *

 _"Christiane,"_ she whispered out, holding her hand out to her sister, a reflection in the darkness.

Anya tried to grasp to her sister, _"Christiane take my hand!",_ she shouted as her sister looked past her, silent.

 _"It's me! It's me, Anya! Take my hand please!"_ she shouted, a roar of wind filling her ears as she felt herself being pulled away from her sister.

She opened her eyes again, surrounded by the golden hall of the Asgardian palace.

 _"Heimdall, what's going on?"_ she whispered, trying to understand what was happening as she waited for a response. Silence filled her ears, she bowed her head down, almost defeated, taking to the stairs, guards oblivious to her as she ran past them.

 _"Loki?"_ Anya walked up the stairs, standing by Loki's bedroom door. Furniture strewn everywhere, his fists tightly knotted as she saw his back rising and falling with each breath of anger.

 _"Loki, I'm here, look at me,"_ she whispered, walking up behind him as she tried to face him, seeing his eyes pained, in tears and indignation.

She reached out to him, her own hand falling through as if she was made out of nothing. She looked to herself in shock and awe, eyes moving back to Loki as she stood in front of him.

 _"Why can't you see me?"_ , she whispered. _"Why now?"_

Her hand went to his cheek, a flash of images of him locked in a cell with the same emotions, back against the wall looking into the abyss of emptiness. Another image flashed, seeing him stand at the feet of a Titan, his eyes like a wild animal, an icy blue, a scepter in his hand.

She felt tears in her eyes, trying to grasp him, _"No! Loki, no! Please! Don't do it! I'm here! Look at me!"_

Anya felt herself being pulled into a wind behind her, arms extending as she tried to hold onto Loki.

* * *

"You're alright!" Val shook Anya as she scrambled in the duvet screaming, tears soaking the pillow. "Anya! Wake up!"

Anya's eyes flew open as she immediately gripped out to the empty pillow beside her, gasping for air.

"Anya, look at me." Val grabbed her as she hugged her tightly. Anya's eyes frantically looked around, trying to regain her breathing. "You're safe, you're okay. Breathe, just breathe."

"I saw him, I saw him again," Anya whispered, a shaking hand smoothing out her hair.

"Loki?"

"Loki and Christiane, both two different dreams," she let out a breath, sitting herself upright against the bed's wall.

"What happened?" Val sat beside her.

"Loki, he's," she hesitated, furrowing her eyebrows, "I saw him alone in his room, full of rage and anger. I," she closed her eyes, trying to recall what she saw, "I called out to him, trying to get him to look to me but it's like he can't see or hear me anymore."

She opened her eyes, sighing into her hands, "I don't understand. I know my sister has the gift now, but after what happened with the Tesseract," her hands twirled as sparks of blue came from her fingers, "These new forces, not aging and yet I can't contact my sister or Loki."

"Like you're teleporting between realms and you can see him but he can't see you?"

"Something like that but I can't control when it happens," she mumbled, looking down to her open palms.

"Did Heimdall ever mention about an ancestor having teleportation?" Val looked to her curious, trying to put the facts together.

"Loki mentioned my grandfather could teleport," she sighed again, eyes still focused on her palms.

"What about your sister? Tell me what happened," Val scooted closer to Anya, her eyes watching the morning light rise over Saakaar's horizon.

"She's still alive somehow. All these years and yet she's still alive." Anya half-chuckled, hope in her eyes dampened with a tinge of sorrow. "I saw her," turning to look to Val, "I see it in her, the rage and confusion."

She let out a sigh, closing her eyes as she tried to find her sister again, "I just want to be with her again."  
Her eyes opened, the morning light casting her eyes a fierce blue, "And we can't even leave this place."

"You know the Grandmaster could hunt us down," Val raised her eyebrows.

"You and me stuck here like prisoners," Anya replied, her eyes still focused on the rising light.

"I need a drink," Val chuckled lightly, "I ran away from my past in Asgard, you were sent here for a second chance from Valhalla. Besides," she got up, walking over to the door as she looked over her shoulder, "Vili gave you a second chance."

She looked at Anya, walking to the window, "You're no mortal anymore, Anya. The Valkyrie lore never lies - Once blessed to the gates of Valhalla as a warrior, Vili's child will live a full life in Ásgarðr (Asgard)"

Anya turned to Val, mischief in her eyes, "That makes no sense at all, Val."

Val shrugged, an amused smile on her lips, "Whatever the hell it means, maybe one day you'll find a way out of here back to Asgard. For now, time to be a Scrapper before Topaz melts us."

* * *

Rudi and Christiane stood over the table, plastics, empty passports and photographs splayed over the tablecloth amongst bread and jam. The mid-morning light casting a dark loom against the Berlin rooftops. A silhouette of an airplane rose from the skyline from the nearby Tempelhof Airport.

Rudi's hands remained still, carefully placing a film of plastic over Christiane's photograph on a fake West-German passport and Austrian passport, various fake stamps in it already.

"It should be straight-forward, hand it over to them at the border. If they ask any questions, just say you were here in the morning visiting a relative on Dresdenstraße.", Rudi handed her the West-German passport, a photograph of her in a brown-haired wig.

"Once you get to West-Berlin, go to the bookshop on Pflugstraße and tell the shop-owner you want to sell a copy of _Le Petit Prince_. You give him the package and then I'll come meet you at the Café Centrale on Jägerstraße ," his hands lifting a leather backpack from the chair, opening the bag and lifting its flooring to reveal the book hidden.

"Okay, and?" Christiane looked up to him, waiting.

"Do not open the book. There's some codes in there they want to pass on to the Americans. Remember to change your clothes and hair when you leave the bookshop. When you come back, we'll use the Austrian ones together and we'll tell them we are getting the night train back to Wien" he shrugged, closing the compartment, stuffing the bag with Christiane's personal belongings.

She turned to around as she pulled on her coat, a black beanie on her head, ready to brace the cold.

"Good luck, _māsa_ (sister), see you in a few hours" Rudi chuckled, closing the door as he saw her walk down the stairs.

Christiane pushed open the large wooden apartment doors onto the street, trying to shake the feeling of deja vu. Each muscle, each fiber of herself wanted to hide away from whatever anxiousness that creeped into her, yet there was a thrill in doing it all over again - the running, the spying and treading on thin ice.

She had nothing left to lose.

* * *

Christiane took back her papers, walking head down through the border as she crossed into West Berlin, eyes scanning across the checkpoint as her boots thudded lightly against the pavement.

She followed the street names Rudi told her, taking stairs down to the U-Bahn as she got on, standing amongst the morning crowd to Pflugstraße. She stood tall amongst everyone else in the wagon, eyes wandering to the faces looking down into newspapers, books and some staring aimlessly into the darkness of the tunnel.

" _Nächste Haltestelle ist Pflugstraße_ (The next station is Pflugstraße)"

The doors opened as she walked out, keeping her head down as she leapt up the stairs, taking two steps at a time before sunlight shone down on her face - a pulse of warmth against the bitter bite of winter. She kept walking, steadying her breathing to each step she took. Once in a while whenever she crossed the street, she looked behind to make sure she wasn't being pursued.

She pushed open the book shop's door, a small bell ringing.

" _Morgen, wie kann ich dir helfen?_ (Morning, how can I help you?)" an old man's voice came from the counter.

" _Morgen möchte ich ein Buch verkaufen_ (Morning, I want to sell a book)", she approached the counter.

" _Was ist der Name?_ (What is the name?)" he asked, taking off his spectacles as he tucked it into the front pocket of his suit jacket.

" _Le Petit Prince,_ " Christiane replied in her French accent.

" _Venez derrière, change vos cheveux_ (Come behind, change your hair)." The man replied with a smile as he went into the room behind, Christiane following behind as she took out the book, handing it to him.

Her hands brushed out the wig from her head, shaking the blond strands in her semi-grungy look.

" _Vous allez aider beaucoup de gens avec ça_ (You're going to help a lot of people with this)" The old man took out a film plastered inside a page of the book, taking it up to the light before he looked back to her, " _Danke_."

She nodded, walking out of the bookshop as she kept walking, reciting the way through her mind to the rendezvous point with Rudi.

Around her, a Christmas market was setting up to one side in a park, children playing in the playground on the other side. Rudi was right, the West was different from the East as Christiane noticed each detail from the way the people dressed, the architecture and feel to the city.

She kept walking across the park, finding Jägerstraße as she sat inside the Café Centrale, a seat beside the vitrine windows at a wooden table. It reminded her of a French bistro in the Jardins de Luxembourg, the whole feel and atmosphere that made her wish for her hometown, whatever it was now.

" _Was kann ich dir bringen?_ (What can I get you?)" The waiter came, a smile on his face.

"Ein Pfefferminztee bitte (A peppermint tea please)" she replied, a curt smile as she turned back to the vitrine, the tea arriving swiftly. She watched two women, almost identical sitting outside laughing and smiling together. There was no doubt they were sisters, seeing each other in what seemed like a long time. For a moment, Christiane smiled to herself before her heart pained itself, her thoughts moving to Anya. She closed her eyes, trying to remember Anya's face, a memory. She hadn't realized she had tensed herself up, knuckles showing white as she gripped onto the tea cup.

"If you grip that tea cup any tighter, it'll break," an American accent spoke, breaking Christiane's focus as her eyes flew open wide, seeing a man come to sit opposite her.

" _Bitte_? (Please/Excuse me?)" she replied, trying to remain polite with the man.

The same waiter came by, smiling again, " _Was kann ich dir bringen?_ (What can I get you?)"

"Ein Espresso bitte (An espresso please)," the American replied, a simple nod to the waiter before he disappeared.

He reached out his hand to Christiane, slipping off the sunglasses from his face, "Phil, Phil Coulson,"

Christiane simply smiled, giving a curt nod as she chose not to reply, fearing it was a trap of some sorts as she took another sip, her eyes looking back outside.

The man leaned across the table, eyes still focused onto Christiane, his voice a whisper between the two of them, "Falco, isn't it? Rudi's twin sister?"

Her eyes flew to his, widening as she set the cup down, hands gripping the handle of the backpack under the table ready to flee.

"Hey, hey," he held his hands up, placing them on the table top, "I'm not going to hurt you, just wanted to talk. Rudi never mentioned he had a twin sister."

She looked to him defensively, still refusing to say a word, jaw tight.

The man took his espresso, sipping it as he looked to Christiane, as if observing her every move, "Don't worry, I'm not part of the goons, I'm one of the good guys."

Her chuckle broke her silence, rolling her eyes, "That's usually what they all say and then they take everything you ever loved away."

Coulson sat back in his chair, an amused smile on his face, "You speak English?"

Christiane leaned forwards, whispering between the two of them, "How do you know me?"

He shrugged, "Like I said, word got round the intelligence community the newest East German courier was Rudi's twin." He took another sip before continuing, "He's a good courier, a little reckless at times. Has a habit to deal with goods rather than information."

She scoffed, slumping back into her chair, "Quite the community you Americans have."

He smiled, trying to hold back a chuckle as he nodded, "Yours also, no support whatsoever when one of you gets caught."

Christiane smiled back in response, taking another sip of her tea as she glanced back outside.

"So what's your name? Do I have to keep calling you Falco?" Coulson smiled to her.

She felt that she could trust him, something in the way he held himself, the way he looked to her. He was young, around her age and yet she felt she could trust her life in his.

She took a breath, "Lelia", her hand extending out, "Lelia Falco."

"You're new to this, aren't you?" he smiled, amusement in his eyes.

"To what?"

"Intelligence work, being a courier."

Christiane shrugged, taking another sip of her tea, eyes back to the outside.

"You don't talk much?"

Her eyes flickered to look at him, honest and stern, "I just don't trust you yet."

Phil simply smiled back to her, "We'll get there eventually."

She nodded, hiding a faint smile behind the cup, "I know."

"You delivered the book?"

She nodded, pouring more tea from the teapot.

He let out a breath, "Good. Washington will be pleased with that."

Christiane nodded again, looking back to the window, watching the glistening of ice on the pavement against the sun's rays.

Her eyes moved back to Phil, a small chuckle from him, "I've got to say, you look like someone I know."

She raised her eyebrows, purely out of curiosity and fear, "Oh really?"

He moved around in his seat, leaning forwards, "One of the Howling Commandoes from way back then. Wait," he held a finger out, moving around as he fished out his wallet.

Christiane sat frozen, her heart dropping into a pit as she tried to remain calm, carefully trying not to move an inch in her face.

"Here," he laid out cards on the table. In front of her was a picture of Steve in his Captain America costume, Dugan with his infamous bowler hat and mustache, Bucky in his Howling Commando uniform and her in a dark blue coat and brown trousers, her uniform with the arm cuffs on her,  
He continued, a smile as he placed each one out to her, "They're like lucky charms to me. Collected them since I was a kid back in Wisconsin. The rest are back home in the States but these were my favorites. You know any of em'?"

She shook her head, unable to say a word as she kept still.

"Here, this is Captain Steve Rogers, otherwise known as Captain America. This is Dugan, one hell of a marksman, still helps out at the agency. This is James Buchanan Barnes, also one hell of a marksman. And this is Agent Bougourd, disappeared right into thin air after Rogers and Barnes died, still a mystery," he shrugged. "Seems silly and all, but you kind of look like her. Same face and all. Your family have any roots in France?"

She shook her head again, trying to reply as she tried to compose her voice as stable as possible, "Latvia."

* * *

 ** _Christiane closed her eyes that evening, the duvet almost enveloping her in a cocoon, hiding against the world._**

I felt numb, my ears rung. I felt lifeless, submerged underwater in a dreamlike phase. **_There's No You_**.

My heart spun, with the crescendos and decrescendos. Feet picking up, my partner the champagne glass as my satin gown swirled at my feet. I slowly spun, my eyes closed. The satin tangling between my heels, kicking them off so my bare feet could feel the cold marble floor. My eyes sealed tightly, my breath stuck on the breeze of you.

I can almost see you walking through the bistro's door, wrapped up in your Howling Commando uniform. Your dark brown hair messy, tangled and curly like a child's tantrum. Tall and stride, your bright blue eyes shining against the darkness and smoke, past the bar.

You take me by the hand, closely guiding me through this drunken sleepwalking. Dancing, that dance that you owed me, I thought.

My head rested on your shoulder, the feeling of the rough dark blue fabric against my cheek. Your chin nestled on the top of the back of my neck. You smelt of sandalwood and seawater.

I looked up to you, you stare back, as you slowly faded away. **_There's No You._** No hug, no kiss, no dance, no you.

Here I am, stuck in whatever dream-world this was, condemned to a satin dress and a full glass of champagne.

I had to find you. Whatever prosaic parallel-universe this was.

I turned around, finding myself back in the lab Zola had put me in in a tank full of water as I start screaming, eyes closing.

My eyes opened, surrounded in a dark black room looking at the mirror to my sister's reflection.

Anya looked back at me, in armor and hair in a braid.

My voice shouted out to her name as I pounded against the reflection, her eyes looking through me as if I wasn't there at all.

* * *

 _"Anya!"_

Rudi's eyes flew open as he heard Christiane screaming in her room. His feet landing on the cold apartment's floor as she ran to her, shaking her.

"Christiane! Wake up!" he shook her as he eyes flew open, gasping for air, his arms pulling her to him tightly. He could hear her sobbing, tears rolling down her cheeks to where his arms held her to him.

"Shh, you're safe," he whispered, a hand brushing her hair then her tears, "You're okay. You're going to be okay."

* * *

 **Author's Note:**  
Surprise! Trying to imagine Coulson before he joined SHIELD in the 90s. What do you think?  
Any thoughts on Anya's new powers; Loki joining the darkness because of losing Anya; Christiane walking on thin ice between her past and present and Rudi being the brotherly figure to her?

Any guesses what Anya's visions were? Bonus points if you can guess the scene correctly from the films!


	37. Chapter 37

**Author's Note** : Hello! Did not have the chance to sit down and write so apologies if this isn't any good but I felt that the story needed to go somewhere, so baby steps.

Songs for this chapter are:  
We Didn't Start The Fire - Billy Joel

We'll Meet Again - Vera Lynn

Voices Carry - Til Tuesday

* * *

 **Asgard**

Heimdall could hear her footsteps approaching him rapidly, turning around to face Frigga.

"Heimdall," she nodded to him as he stepped away from his gaze of the Bifrost to her.

"Your Majesty," he bowed, eyes glowing.

"What have you seen?" She stepped beside him, both their gazes returning to the colors, almost kaleidoscopic radiating into the dark sky.

"What has the Book of Fates shown you so far, your Majesty?", he replied.

Frigga held her breath for a moment, looking behind her shoulder before letting it out, her voice a whisper, yet an echo against the walls.  
"Geneviève-Anya and Christiane," she paused, turning to him with unsureness to her eyes. Heimdall could see her in shock through her eyes, yet she masked it through her body language, standing relaxed. "They're alive, aren't they?"

Heimdall nodded, a small smile appearing.

Frigga's eyes closed, a ghost of a smile appearing, a silent whisper, " _Takk Vili_ (Thank you Vili)".

"Anya is alive, yet I don't know where in this realm. Vili granted her life again after passing through a slit in space that the Tesseract created."  
Heimdall offered his arm for Frigga to take, sharing his vision with Frigga of Anya.

"I told her to defend the Tesseract," Frigga opened her eyes, turning from blue to golden, looking out to the Bifrost as they saw Anya training.

"The Fates once told me she would die in the Midgard year of 1944. Yet it is December 1988 and she has not aged."

"Time moves differently there compared to Midgardian time. But whatever Vili gave her, allowed her to gain full Asgardian physiology. She's.." He hesitated, smiling slightly, "developed the same gift of teleportation as her grandfather and energy manipulation almost like Thor."

Frigga looked to him wide-eyed, "How is that possible?"

"I do not know, and I do not think she knows. Her abilities in teleportation in dreams has led her to find her sister in Midgard, their gift just like their mother's, but Anya does not know yet whether it is real or just a dream. As for the energy manipulation, it is only slightly but with enough focus she is able to swiftly blast enough energy."

"And Christiane in Midgard?" Frigga nodded to herself slowly, trying to imagine the sisters.

"She is on her own, trying to understand the new time she has awoken in. Her gift is just like her sister's in accessing dreams, however after her interaction with the Tesseract, it has given her some sort of kinetic energy manipulation as well. She absorbs any impact inflicted on her and then projects it out somehow."

"This was never predicted," Frigga sighed as she held her hands together, her eyes watching the vision of Anya swing a sword effortlessly to cut the head off a dummy opponent. She blinked, returning her vision to normal as she turned to Heimdall, holding the bridge of her nose trying to think, "The Tesseract runs in them now giving them abilities, Vili has granted them full physiology that an Asgardian would have and they are trying to communicate with each other through their dreams without knowing if it is real or not."

"Yes, your Majesty." Heimdall nodded, watching Frigga shake her head quickly.

"If Odin finds out you've been watching them…"

"I'm aware of the consequences," he replied.

"No one can know about this, those who'd want to know how to wield powers from an Infinity Stone. It is for their safety. I will consult the Book of Fates. Thank you, Heimdall" Frigga looked to the Gatekeeper, a quick smile before turning back, leaving Heimdall guarding the Bifrost.

* * *

 **Berlin, December 26 1988**

Her hand gripped tightly onto a microfilm role, specifically ordered by Coulson to retrieve with a list of compromised agents on it. Christiane turned on her toes, throwing a blow by her elbow to a man's face as he staggered back, grasping his nose. She punched another man to her side, blue sparks flying from the impact as he flew across the room, before turning to kick the other man down.

" _Sagen Sie Ihren Leuten, dass sie uns fern bleiben sollen!_ (You tell your people to stay the hell away from us!)" she shouted, looming over the two young men on the floor as they backed away, starting to run leaving her alone in the warehouse. Christiane touched the stray cut on her lips, blood slightly smudging her fingertips on her fingerless gloves.

She slipped the microfilm into the pocket of her jacket, walking out the empty warehouse, her whistles echoing against the cold Berlin night to Vera Lynn's _'We'll Meet Again'_.

Her fingers went to her other pocket, throwing a match to the wet fuel she had leaked around the warehouse prior to the fight, destroying all evidence of whatever secrets were hidden inside. She kept walking down the dirt path, reaching an underpass near the warehouse. She could smell the fuel burning already, a couple of punks suddenly turning their attention to the warehouse engulfing in flames as she leaned on a concrete column of the bridge's underpass.

Christiane chuckled to herself as a song came on the radio, changing from a screaming punk song to Billy Joel. Rudi had a record of the song as she smiled to herself, letting her mind lose to the hysterics of the evening, closing her eyes.

 _Eisenhower, vaccine, England's got a new queen_

 _Marciano, Liberace, Santayana goodbye_

 _We didn't start the fire_

 _It was always burning_

 _Since the world's been turning_

 _We didn't start the fire_

 _No we didn't light it_

 _But we tried to fight it_

Suddenly, a motorbike screeched in front of her, startling her out of her daze.

A man flipped up his vizor, frantically waving to her, "Lelia! Get on!"

"Rudi?" she squinted.

"Get on now! The police are coming!" Rudi revved the motorbike as Christiane ran, taking the helmet attached to the side, holding onto Rudi tightly as they drove off quickly into the night.

* * *

"You got the list?" Rudi threw his keys into the blue china bowl on the table, walking to the kitchen as he turned on the tap, taking a glass chugging down water.

Christiane leaned against the kitchen's door frame, pulling the microfilm out from her pocket, waving it in the air, "It's what the Americans want, isn't it?"

"Next time when I said destroy all evidence, I don't mean set the whole building on fire," Rudi ran his fingers through his hair shakily, passing by Christiane as he slumped on the sofa, exhaustion on his face.

"It looked ugly," she shrugged, sitting beside him as she stared straight forwards.

"It caused a scene."

Christiane shrugged again, turning to look to him, "It caused a distraction."

Rudi smiled into a sigh, shaking his head, "You'll get this to our American friend tomorrow?"

"You're not doing it?"

He laughed as he stood up, "The Resistance seems to like you a lot, you're efficient."

"Where are you going?" She looked after him as he held a pillow in his arms from the sofa.

"To sleep! I've got an early rendezvous with a courier from the West." Rudi saluted her, smiling before disappearing into his room, "Goodnight!"

* * *

Christiane sat in bed, reading, the apartment dark save for the dim light from her bedside lamp.

In the silence, she heard movement from Rudi's room as he turned around in his sleep. Minutes later came whispers, repeating the same sentence over and over again.

She rubbed the exhaustion from her eyes, tip-toeing lightly to Rudi's room as she watched him toss and turn. Christiane sat on the floor beside his bed, gingerly reaching her hand out to touch his arm.

She felt the darkness seem to loom and seep around her as she closed her eyes, taking a deep breath and trying to remember how Anya told her how to do it. She had gone into Rudi's dreams several times, but each time she was unsure of herself, of her own powers, the pain of having to remember her sister all over again not being there with her.

Christiane opened her eyes in a forest, hearing Rudi scream out as his voice echoed against the silence of the darkness.

 _"Mamma! Papa!"_ Rudi screamed as he kept turning around, his boots crunching against dead dry leaves, the cold biting into his skin and bones. _"Mamma! Papa!"_

Christiane lifted the gas lamp in her hands to her face, illuminating the way in front of her as it showed her Rudi, looking up to the canopy.

"Rudi, it's okay," she whispered, reaching out to him.

He turned his glance to her, panic and tears in his eyes.

"You'll be okay, take my hand Rudi." She opened her palm to him as he took her hands in his, Christiane desperately trying to find an opening through his mind.

She imagined, turning the scenery around them filled with warmth, a field full of bright yellow and white flowers in the mountains - the place she used to play with Anya when they were younger.

"You'll be okay," she smiled to him as he looked up to the sky, closing his eyes as he felt the sun on his skin.

She let go, backing away out through his dreams as she opened her eyes to where she was, watching Rudi now sleeping peacefully in front of her. She brought herself up quietly, padding back to her room before pulling the blanket over her.

* * *

 ** _The next day_**

"You're late." Christiane looked up to Coulson as he came to sit beside her on a park bench.

Coulson shrugged, passing a chocolate croissant to Christiane in a paper bag, "I had to make sure I wasn't followed."

"And you still found time to get a _pain au chocola_ t?" bewilderment crossing her face.

"Thought you might have been hungry," he smiled to her, taking a bite out of his own _pain au chocolat_. "You get the list?"

She took it out of her coat's inner pocket, passing it to Coulson as he hid it into his pocket.

A smile of amusement touched his lips, "Heard you lit up the East Berlin skyline last night."

"News goes around fast," she rolled her eyes, slumping against the bench.

"Only when we could see it from the West," he chuckled lightly, taking out an envelope out from his coat, "Here."

"What is this?" Christiane took it, opening the envelope to see West German Marks.

Coulson eyed the envelope, a single nod, "Payment. Treat yourself to something in the West."

Christiane put it into her backpack, before staring straight in front of her, her voice still, "Or you could help my brother and I get out from the East?" She turned to look at him looking at her, his eyes focused on hers.

"Huh, funny. Your eyes have a sliver of gold." He smiled, "Tell you what, I'll see what I can do. I'll have an answer the next time we meet."

"Really?" She stared him straight in the eyes, as he looked to her in full honesty, and pure trust.

"I promise."

* * *

 ** _Later_**

 _I'm in the dark, I'd like to read his mind_

 _But I'm frightened of the things I might find_

 _Oh, there must be something he's thinking of_

 _To tear him away-a-ay_

 _When I tell him that I'm falling in love_

 _Why does he say-a-ay_

She sat watching the skyline, the cold wind blowing around her. She felt numb, oblivious to the cold.

 _Hush hush, keep it down now, voices carry_

 _Hush hush, keep it down now, voices carry_

 _Uh-ah_

Her eyes closed, searching the void of darkness for Anya, or whatever it was she saw all those nights ago. It felt like she was running endlessly, suddenly an image of Anya passing by as she stopped, walking into Anya's view almost like walking through a doorway.

Anya stood in front of a mirror, braiding her hair tightly at her side. Christiane saw a sword at her belt, black trousers, white top and a green scarf around her. She came to stand beside her, looking at her sister's reflection into the mirror, Anya's eyes closing.

 _"Anya, where are you?" Christiane whispered, watching Anya's eyes squint closed as she tried to focus._

 _"Christiane?" Anya's eyes squinted hard, "Christiane? Where are you?"_

 _"Anya, I'm here!" Christiane shouted, trying to reach out to Anya, her hands going through her as if she was a ghost._

 _"Christiane!" Anya shouted, trying to find her._

 _"Anya! I'm here! Please!" Christiane felt herself slipping away, tears spilling as she tried to grab onto her sister._

 _Hush hush, keep it down now, voices carry_

 _Hush hush, keep it down now, voices carry_

 _Hush hush, shut up now, voices carry_

 _Hush hush, keep it down now, voices carry_

 _Hush hush, darling, she might overhear_

 _Hush, hush - voices carry_

"Lelia!" Rudi ran to her, shaking her. "Lelia!"

Her eyes flew open, coughing as she tried to gasp for her, Rudi pulling her into his arms as she continued crying, trying to hold on to whatever she had left of her sister.

"Shh, shh, you're okay. What's the matter?" Rudi held her closely, trying to reassure her.

"I'm fine," she sobbed, messily wiping tears from her cheeks.

"No you're not," Rudi pulled away, holding her by her shoulders as he looked to her.

She shook her head slowly, trying to find words and feelings to the numbness, "How am I supposed to live when I've lost everything?"

Rudi held her closely again, the two of them watching the skyline as the first snow started to fall.

"You just have to," he whispered.


	38. Chapter 38

**Author's Note:** Songs for this chapter are "End of the World - Julie London" and "Cities in Dust - Siouxsie And The Banshees". This song plays in the last segment.

Stay tuned for the next chapter for a surprise!

* * *

 **December 31, 1988**

Coulson was waiting for her by the lamppost on Grundwasserteich in Tiergarten park. Snow lightly fell, stinging her cheeks in the light wind that brushed her face.

"No coffee today?", Christiane stopped in front of Coulson as he stood, brushing off snow from his coat's shoulders.

He smiled, gesturing to the path in front of them, "Let's go for a walk."

They walked in silence, boots crunching under the ice and snow. What felt like hours but just mere minutes, Coulson turned a corner, leading onto an empty path. He looked over his shoulder, his eyes darting around their surroundings before continuing.

"Tell me about yourself," he spoke, eyes looking forwards.

"What do you want to know?" Christiane replied, digging her hands deep into her pockets as she let out a breath.

"Who are you? I trust you enough now but I want to know who you are, not what your file says."

"I have a file?" Christiane smirked, another thing the Americans did so well in her time knowing them was their punctuality in noting everything down.

Coulson smiled, a shaky laugh breathing out ice into the air, "Lelia, there's no record of you anywhere."

She chuckled lightly, "I thought you said I had a file."

"You can't be traced. You're like a ghost, you don't exist now or in the past. All we have is a name and where you were born."

Christiane chuckled again, looking up to the grey sky, dampened sunlight shining through the clouds as she squinted slightly. She closed her eyes, letting the snowflakes prick her cheeks.

"What is it then? You lost someone? Heartbroken? Lost the will to live? Why are you in this?" Coulson looked to her, curiousity in his eyes masked by his professionalism.

She looked down, her eyes locking with his, "And why are you in this, Phil?"

He looked down to his feet briefly, before looking back up to her. Her eyes bright against the stark whiteness of the snow around them. "I want to help people, make the world a safer place. What about you?"

"I've lost everyone I ever loved. I have nothing else to lose except for my brother," she let out in a breath, before looking to the distance, trying to compose herself. Digging into the wound of her past, however numb she felt still hurt her.

Coulson looked around again before going to a park bench, brushing the snow off before they sat down, Christiane's eyes still set into the distance.

"Who were they?" He asked, eyes full of concern. He looked to her like a true friend, completely honest and kind to her.

She shook her head slowly, looking back to Coulson, her voice quiet against the drops of snow, "It's in the past.", trying to muster a reassuring smile.

Coulson nodded as he let out a shaky breath. He looked back to her, handing her a piece of paper from his coat pocket. "I need you to get the list of double agents with your contact."

"Give me 24 hours," she looked to the paper, an address of a club in the East.

"I'll come collect it from you personally tomorrow. Meet me in Alexanderplatz at noon. I'll be wearing a light blue scarf."

She nodded, standing up from the bench as she turned around ready to walk.

"Lelia?"

She turned back, looking to Coulson.

"I'm working on getting you two over."

"Thought you were joking."

He smiled, before turning around to his own way, "A promise is a promise."

* * *

Her boots echoed against the arcade tunnel as she took a final glance over her shoulder, ducking into a watch-repair shop.

" _Guten Abend_ (Good evening)" A voice came from a middle aged man, hunched over a table in the corner as he looked through a magnifying glass onto a watch.

" _Guten Abend._ _Ich möchte eine Uhr kaufen. Es hat zwei Zeitzonen._ (Good evening. I would like to buy a watch. It has two time zones on it.)" she replied without giving a glance to the man, browsing the watch displays.

" _Komm morgen um 8 Uhr abholen. Sie haben auch eine Nachricht_ (Come pick it up tomorrow at 8am. You also have a message)" The man gestured to a piece of paper sticking out under the lamp at his table.

Christiane crossed the shop, pulling it out quickly reading it.

 _Documents ready. Pack. Will come get you. - P._

 _"Danke_ (Thank you)." She quickly said, turning around, throwing the note into the watchmaker's fireplace as she went to the door.

 _"Frohes neues Jahr_ (Happy New Year.)" The man spoke in his baritone voice, eyes never leaving his work.

" _Frohes neues Jahr_ (Happy New Year)."

* * *

She climbed back up onto the roof of their apartment, a flask in her coat pocket and a vinyl under her arm. Rudi sat in their usual deck chairs in the darkness of the night.

She tiptoed over to him, putting the disc on as it started to sing Julie London.

 _Why does the sun go on shining?_

 _Why does the sea rush to shore?_

 _Don't they know it's the end of the world_

 _'Cause you don't love me anymore?_

Fireworks started dancing in the air as they sat in silence, watching the city in front of them.

 _Why do the birds go on singing?_

 _Why do the stars glow above?_

 _Don't they know it's the end of the world_

 _It ended when I lost your love_

 _I wake up in the morning and I wonder_

 _Why ev'rything's the same as it was_

 _I can't understand, no I can't understand_

 _How life goes on the way it does_

"How did it go?" Rudi looked over to her, taking a swig of his cocktail glass before refilling it with whatever pink looking liquid was in the pitcher jug.

"He said he'll help us get over, have a new start. The documents are ready."

Rudi chuckled, as he pulled Christiane close to him, raising his glass into the air.

"To new beginnings. To you, my friend, my sister, Christiane."

* * *

Christiane had gone to the watchmaker in the morning, the microfilm now set into a watch in her pocket.

She walked onto Alexanderplatz, towering over most of the young people around her in her heeled boots as she walked, a hood over her head, coat flying in the wind.

She spotted Coulson in a blond hair wig as he acknowledged her with a nod. Christiane kept walking, ready to make the drop as she walked into him, dropping the watch into his pocket as she felt a piece of paper drop into her coat. They parted ways, walking into different directions. She quickly disappeared into the subway, holding onto that piece of paper between her fingers.

It was only when she got home, closing the front door behind her that she took out the paper, reading an address of a club with a note saying, " _Ask for Henrik. Russian microfilm, tonight. Till tomorrow._ "

"And where have you been?" Rudi called from the kitchen still in pajamas as he stood leaning against the doorframe, a sandwich in his hands.

"Went to deliver a package to Coulson in Alexanderplatz," she went over to Rudi, giving him a hug before going into the kitchen, busying herself with lunch.

"He came personally to this hell hole? He must really trust you."

Christiane came back to Rudi, bread with butter and honey in hand as she handed the note to him.

"He said he'll come by to deliver us the documents then take us across in disguise tomorrow."

Rudi smiled, letting whatever tension from him go loose as he walked to the window, a smile of disbelief and happiness.

"Are you ready?" Christiane asked as she went to his side, the two looking out.

"I'm ready to leave all of this behind." He turned to her, a childish excitement to him, "Better get packing."

"I have a courier to do tonight." She hesitated, looking to Rudi.

"But you'll come straight back home after?" He asked, worry in his eyes.

"I promise."


	39. Chapter 39

**Author's Note:** Hello! Here it is, the surprise! When I first started writing this story, I truly wanted to incorporate this arc into it somehow. Let me know what you think! It would really help to know what you think is going well or not with the story. Would really appreciate some feedback, is it still worth to continue writing this?

The last we left Christiane off, she was leaving the apartment while Rudi packs for their move.

The way to read this chapter is to listen to it with two songs and imagine the whole sequence as if you were watching a film.

 **99 Luftballons - Nena**

 **Major Tom - Peter Schilling**

Apologies for the Google Translate Russian!

* * *

 **Part I: 99 Luftballons**

Each heartbeat and inhale in her chest echoed into her ears, blood rushing through as she exhaled, letting the sound around her flood her surroundings of the East Berlin nightclub.

" _Ein Drink?_ (A drink?)" The bartender, François, a French courier working in East Berlin, came over, looking to Christiane.

" _Ottos Sonder_ (Otto's special)," she curtly smiled to the young man.

He leaned over the counter as he whispered near her cheek. " _Le code?_ (What's the passcode?)"

"Darwin," she replied, as he moved away, nodding to her once before turning around to pour a shot of clear liquid.

The music blared loudly, almost vibrating and shaking each bone of her body. Her eyes watched the crowded dance floor swaying to the heavy techno music.

" _Tiens_ (Here)," the bartender returned, pushing the drink to her with a small metal canister the size of a thumb between his fingers. He looked around him, almost making sure nobody was in their ears-shot before leaning in to her cheek again, " _Protégez-le. Cette liste est très précieuse (_ Keep it safe. This list is very valuable)."

She looked around her as youngsters gathered behind her to order drinks before looking back to François, " _Comme si toute la communauté du renseignement ne le savait pas._ (As if the whole entire intelligence community didn't know that)." Christiane muttered sarcastically, rolling her eyes before downing the shot glass.

" _Plaisir de faire des affaires comme toujours._ _Faites attention._ (Pleasure doing business as always. Be careful)." The man smiled to her, a quick salute with his index and middle finger to the brow before moving down the bar counter to an awaiting customer.

Christiane quickly got up, hiding the canister in her hands as she crossed to the bathroom where she concealed the canister into her garments, camouflaged.

She opened the bathroom stalls door, shrugging on aviator coat Viktor had given her. She shuffled her blonde hair, the roots of her dark brown showing. She could hear the music change, an opening of a song she came to like since waking up from this era. She turned, opening the door as she walked, to the voice of the song, her boots echoing against the grimy neon pink brick walls and flickering lights back to the dance floor.

 _Hast du etwas Zeit für mich?_

 _Dann singe ich ein Lied für dich_

 _Von 99 Luftballons_

 _Auf ihrem Weg zum Horizont_

 _Denkst du vielleicht grad an mich?_

 _Dann singe ich ein Lied für dich_

 _Von 99 Luftballons_

 _Und, dass sowas von sowas kommt_

As she reached its edge, she took a quick look of her surroundings, a sinking feeling in her guts as she spotted two men watching her from bar. Christiane quickly crossed into the crowd, mixing herself in the blur of dancing, swaying to the music, eyes closing.

 _99 Luftballons_

 _Auf ihrem Weg zum Horizont_

 _Hielt man für Ufos aus dem All_

 _Darum schickte ein General_

 _'Ne Fliegerstaffel hinterher_

 _Alarm zu geben, wenn's so wär_

 _Dabei war'n dort am Horizont_

 _Nur 99 Luftballons_

In light of the danger she felt, she didn't care anymore. She let herself lose to the music, feeling numb to her emotions.

 _99 Düsenflieger_

 _Jeder war ein großer Krieger_

 _Hielten sich für Captain Kirk_

 _Es gab ein großes Feuerwerk_

 _Die Nachbarn haben nichts gerafft_

 _Und fühlten sich gleich angemacht_

 _Dabei schoss man am Horizont_

 _Auf 99 Luftballons_

 _99 Kriegsminister_

 _Streichholz und Benzinkanister_

 _Hielten sich für schlaue Leute_

 _Witterten schon fette Beute_

 _Riefen, „Krieg!", und wollten Macht_

 _Mann, wer hätte das gedacht?_

 _Dass es einmal so weit kommt_

 _Wegen 99 Luftballons_

Eventually, she opened her eyes again, eyes going to the men as they were now standing, trying to find her. Christiane pulled up the hood on the jacket under her aviator coat, hiding the blond hair as she started ducking to the back exit.

 _Wegen 99 Luftballons_

 _99 Luftballons_

She quickly straightened up, walking quickly instead of running to avoid attention down the orange-hued lighted corridor, strands of her hair peeking out the hood. She heard footsteps rounding the corner behind her, the song picking up to its final verse. Ears pricking to the click of a gun several feet behind her amidst the beat of the music, her feet started running as she heard the first shot fired, hitting against the brick wall.

 _99 Jahre Krieg_

 _Ließen keinen Platz für Sieger_

 _Kriegsminister gibt's nicht mehr_

 _Und auch keine Düsenflieger_

"Получить ее! Получить шпион! (Get her! Get the spy!)" A man shouted as shots continued.

Christiane covered her head as she ducked and ran low.

 _Heute zieh' ich meine Runden_

 _Seh' die Welt in Trümmern liegen_

 _Hab' 'n Luftballon gefunden_

 _Denk' an dich und lass' ihn fliegen_

One arm covering her head as the other pushed onto the exit's door, stumbling out onto the cold night, seeping to the very core of her bones.

Christiane looked left to right, determining which was the fastest route to escape. She pulled up her turtleneck to just her eyes showing, as she took to her right, sprinting into the cold.

* * *

 **Part II: Major Tom**

"солдат (Soldat)", said the general.

"Я готов отвечать (Ready to comply)".

"You have been brought here to eliminate our traitors. They are willing to collect a piece of high-valued information and sell it on to the highest bidder. Leave no man alive, understood?"

"да (Yes)".

The general turned to his assistant as they handed me my weapon as I slung it to my back.

"Возьмите его в подземный туннель (Take him to underground tunnel)." The general gestured to his assistant as I followed him across the room, appearing to be an underground bunker before he stopped in front of a thick green metal door as I stepped through into another set of tunnels.

The door clattered shut behind me as I stalked down the tunnel, my footsteps quiet just the way they taught me. I reached a ladder leading up to the building I was stationed for. Opening the hatch, I found myself in an empty room, an abandoned building. My eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room, papers and graffiti scattered across as I started for the stairs, reaching up to the rooftop.

I laid down, adjusting my grip as I waited, camouflaging into the darkness of the night, watching and waiting for the traitors to come out from across the street.

The door burst out suddenly as a girl ran out, taking a look from left to right before she started running to her right. She disappeared almost like a ghost from where she stood, my heart beating loudly as she brushed through my vision, a sting piercing to my head as if I had been hit. My hand held a handful of hair, trying to ease the pain as I saw flashes, milliseconds of snapshots of her, yet I could not picture her face, only seeing her hair, dark brown flying through the wind.

 _Gründlich durchgecheckt_

 _steht sie da_

 _und wartet auf den Start. -_

 _Alles klar._

"Получить ее! (Get her!)" A voice of a man shouted from below as I opened my eyes again, watching a group of men start running to the right in the direction she went in.

 _Experten streiten sich_

 _um ein paar Daten -_

 _Die Crew hat dann noch_

 _ein paar Fragen, doch_

 _der Countdown läuft._

"Дерьмо (Shit)," I muttered under my voice as I got up quickly, running as I started jumping over the rooftops. My eyes scanned for her, her almost-white blond hair stark against the night as she turned left onto my side of the road, the men following behind her.

 _Effektivität_

 _bestimmt das Handeln_

 _Man verlässt sich blind_

 _auf den andern._

I heard metal clattering, a wired gate behind shaken. " _Merde_ (Shit)", she shouted as she turned around, six men surrounding her as she was blocked off, stuck at a dead-end.

 _Jeder weiss genau_

 _was von ihm abhängt,_

 _jeder ist im Stress,_

 _doch Major Tom_

 _macht einen Scherz._

She looked to them, standing reading to fight. I saw she was outnumbered. I closed my eyes, trying to focus on the flits of images as I took a deep breath in, my mind telling me to take the shot and finish the job, my inside, whatever it was, suddenly telling me to jump down and protect her. I felt my foot take a step off from the ledge of the rooftop as I jumped down, landing opposite her.

 _Dann hebt er ab und!..._

 _...Völlig losgelöst_

 _von der Erde_

 _schwebt das Raumschiff_

 _völlig schwerelos._

She looked to me wide-eyed and shocked, before the men started running towards us. She immediately turned back, taking the closest man by the neck and kicking him in the abdomen before she pulled him with incredible force into the garbage dumpster as a man ran to me, my fist flying to his face. She looked to me briefly, eyes wild before she suddenly turned on her feet, pushing the men in front of her to the side as she started running again out of the alley.

* * *

 **Christiane/Lelia POV**

 _Die Erdanziehungskraft_

 _ist überwunden,_

 _Alles läuft perfekt -_

 _schon seit Stunden._

My heart raced as I kept running, trying to get away from the men, and whatever that person was. I heard shots echo behind me as I halted, turning around to look to the alley quickly before running again.

 _Wissenschaftliche_

 _Experimente,_

 _doch was nützen die_

 _am Ende_

 _denkt sich Major Tom._

 _Im Kontrollzentrum_

 _da wird man panisch._

 _Der Kurs der Kapsel der_

 _stimmt ja gar nicht._

I made for the closest abandoned building, as a car drove towards me as I dove into the building's door. I quickly ran up the stairs, hearing a car door slam behind me and heavy footsteps following me up. I ran, using all my force to break down an apartment's door as I stumbled inside, quickly trying to find something to defend myself with before I felt myself being pulled back by someone gripping my head and hair.

I screamed in pain as a big man, no doubt an assassin sent by those men from the club, threw me across the room. He quickly crossed over to me, as I stood up grabbing a piece of broken glass in my hand, running towards him as I kicked him stumbling back before swinging at him, my other arm blocking each punch and swing from him. He gripped me firmly by the arms, using all his force against mine as she pushed me, throwing me across the room again.

 _"Hallo Major Tom,_

 _können Sie hören,_

 _woll'n Sie das Projekt_

 _denn so zerstören?",_

 _doch, er kann nichts hörn'._

The walked towards me again, determination in his eyes to finish his job.

"У вас есть что-то, что я хочу (You have something I want)," he bellowed, stalking towards me slowly.

 _Er schwebt weiter..._

 _...Völlig losgelöst_

 _von der Erde_

 _schwebt das Raumschiff_

 _völlig schwerelos._

I saw **him** , a shadow by the door watching as he silently started running, wrapping his arm around the man before tackling him and pulling him away from him. They sparred together as I got up, my eyes looking to a candleholder beside as I gripped it tightly, running to the fight as I swung it with all my force at the man in the head, his body falling down to the floor.

 _Die Erde schimmert blau_

 _Sein letzter Funk kommt:_

 _"Grüsst mir meine Frau!"_

 _Und er verstummt._

I watched the man, looking for any movement with no response before my eyes moved back up to the man, the shadow standing in front of me. He had a mask on covering his mouth and nose, and a metal arm with a red star.

 _Unten trauern noch_

 _die Egoisten,_

 _Major Tom denkt sich_

My hand still gripped the hilt of the candleholder tightly, looking to him warily in case he was my next opponent.

His blue eyes were piercing, watching me. Somehow, there was something about it that was familiar, yet empty and cold.

 _"wenn die wüssten -,_

 _mich führt hier ein Licht_

 _durch das All,_

 _das kennt ihr noch nicht,_

 _ich komme bald_

 _Mir wird kalt."_

The man took a step forwards while my reflexes went into overdrive, suddenly ducking to the side as I kicked him, his arm blocking up as I hit him with the candleholder, his other arm gripping mine disarmed me, quickly pulling me to him as he held my wrists tightly to my chest. His flesh hand left one of my wrists, pulling down my turtleneck to reveal my face.

He kept studying me, his eyes looking into mine, as if trying to find something, someone.

I realized what felt familiar, the eyes of the same color as him. As Bucky. I relaxed under his grip, as he took this to let his metal hand go from my wrist.

"Кто ты? (Who are you?)" I whispered.

My eyes studied his, empty and cold. My voice came like a ghost of a whisper, as if to tell myself, " _Il avait les mêmes yeux que toi_ (He had the same eyes as you.)"

I took a deep breath before snapping out of it, taking a step back as I looked to the man standing in the light casting from the windows.

"Вы спасли меня. Кто ты? (You saved me. Who are you?)" I stared at him.

Silence.

"Почему вы спасли меня? Вы работаете с русскими? (Why did you save me? Do you work with the Russians?)"

Silence.

Outside, I could hear a motorbike engine come to a halt, footsteps coming through the building's door.

"Lelia!"

Footsteps coming up the stairs. No doubt it was Rudi.

My eyes never left his as I walked up to the man again, my arms going around him as I hugged him tightly. I must have gone insane, hugging a someone lethal but yet familiar. There was something there, unsaid and unknown.

I stepped back before walking past him, down the stairs to Rudi.

* * *

She watched me, her green eyes an emerald color with the blues the color of a seawater in the winter.

"Кто ты? (Who are you?)"

 _I don't know._

"Вы спасли меня. Кто ты? (You saved me. Who are you?)" She stared at me.

 _I don't know._

"Почему вы спасли меня? Вы работаете с русскими? (Why did you save me? Do you work with the Russians?)"

 _I don't even know who I am._

She started coming towards me, her arms wrapping around me as she held me tightly. My head winced again, eyes closing; flashes of us in a square dancing under falling snow.

 _She looked back up to me, hair flowing in the gentle wind with snowflakes sticking, her cheeks rosy. Her voice came out like a whisper, almost a sigh, "This war, it's taken so much from you and me."_

I opened my eyes again, as I felt her step away from me, her eyes watching me before she left, a man calling her name, Lelia. Her breaths were heavy, almost as if she was trying to get enough air, her eyes trying to decide whether I could be trusted or not.

I remembered her eyes. Deep inside, I felt it inside me, a spark starting to burn after so long.

* * *

Christiane held onto her breath as she ran down the stairs, almost colliding into Rudi as he came up. He looked to her wide eyed as he shoved her helmet into her arms, taking her hand in his as they ran down.

"How did you find me?" Christiane whispered as they stumbled out onto the street, Rudi swinging his leg over the motorbike as he put on his helmet.

"The Frenchie saw you being chased and called me. Said you shouldn't be far," he muttered under the helmet.

"How'd you know I was here?" Christiane took a glance up to the building before pulling on the helmet over her.

Rudi shrugged, "Lucky guess. Car with dark windows parked outside an abandoned building is not suspicious at all. Are the men gone?" He looked to her as he closed down his vizor.

Christiane swung her leg over at the back, holding onto Rudi, "They're all dead."

Rudi sprung the bike into action, the lamp shining a white hue onto the icy streets as they drove into the night. The Berlin night speeding past them as Christiane's eyes closed, trying to steady her breathing. She let herself be surrounded by the rush of wind, the stray hairs poking out of the helmet tickling her neck.

She closed her eyes seeing the shadow of a man, the man with a metal arm. **He** had saved her.

By the time they got home, Christiane began putting all her belongings into a duffel bag. Carefully folding each of her items almost therapeutically. Rudi went to his belongings before coming to watch her by the doorframe, each fold and tuck, his voice cutting the silence. "So you're telling me all the men who came after you are dead?"

"Yes." She replied, keeping her rhythm of folding going.

"Did you do it?" Rudi sighed out, crossing his arms.

"Someone came to help me. He did it." Christiane replied as she turned around to her chest of drawers, pulling out t-shirts.

"Is he one of us?" he huffed, shakily running his fingers through his hair.

Christiane could sense Rudi's anxiousness, the tinge of fear for her, for the both of them on his voice.

She looked up, setting down her packing.

"I don't know. I don't think so."

"Either way, you've been compromised which lucky for us, we're leaving anyways," he sighed.

"It still doesn't make it any safer." Taking a step towards him as Rudi hugged her tightly.

"When did Coulson say he'll meet us?", Rudi whispered.

"Tomorrow morning. You meet Coulson and then we'll meet at the train station and cross together." She held onto him tightly. For all that mattered, Rudi was the closest thing she had to family or friend at that point.

"Let's hope it goes to plan."


	40. Chapter 40

**Author's Note:** A bit of a hiatus due uni work. Song for this chapter is Vienna Calling by Falco.  
We're taking another shift in the story. Any guesses?

-Kiara

* * *

He felt the pain course through his body as he lay on the floor helpless.

"Soldat. I will only ask again one more time. Mission report."

He lay in silence. Some part of his mind told him to not reveal the girl, another part trying to fight against the Commander's order.

"Fine then. Put him in the chair."

Two men pulled him up as they dragged him to the chair, locking him in. He felt a jump inside his chest, something he thought was fear. He was scared. He watched the Commander move to a wall, putting a code to the console beside, a latch opening to reveal a red book with a black star on its cover.

 _Longing._

He felt something twitch in him.

 _Rusted._

The twitch grew, stinging every part of his head.

 _Seventeen._

 _Daybreak._

He tried to fit it, clenching his fists and face together.

 _Furnace._

The twitch gave way, spreading to his body.

 _Nine._

He focused, his senses tuning everything out.

 _Benign._

 _Homecoming._

 _One._

 _Freight car._

As if a final piece of the puzzle had been laid.

He looked to the Commander, waiting and watching him as he closed the book.  
"Good morning, Soldier."

"Ready to comply." His voice spoke autonomously.

"Mission report: January 3rd, 1989."

"Eliminated."

"Anything else?"

"A girl."

* * *

Rudi clung adjusting the straps of his backpack, quickly walking down to 8 Strausberger Straße to the address passed on from Christiane to meet Coulson. He took a glance behind his back, before walking into the apartment block, quickly scaling three floors up before knocking on a large wooden door. Apartment 3A.

" _Wer ist es?_ (Who is it?)" came a voice, tinged with a slight twang of an American accent.

He closed one eye, trying to remember the singer Christiane had mentioned, huddling himself against the cold. "Vera Lynn?"

" _Ist das eine Frage oder Antwort?_ (Is that a question or an answer?)" The voice replied back, a hint of amusement.

" _Eine Antwort!_ (An answer!)" He slightly raised his voice, before glancing around again to the empty hallway, leaning himself to the door closer, "Just let me in, it's freezing!"

He felt the door give under his weight as Coulson stood, quickly pulling him inside the apartment.

"Good, you're on time." Coulson smiled before turning around, sitting back at the table with documents in front of him. He pushed two passport towards Rudi, as he start packing up.  
"These are for you and Lelia."

Rudi opened them looking at the photograph of him and Lelia with the same last name. Constantine Walter. "Austrian?"

"I have a few friends," Coulson shrugged as she stuffed everything into a file, hiding it under a platform of his suitcase before putting his folded belongings on top.

"And Lelia will meet us where?" he scratched his head, looking at the clock on the wall ticking to 9am. "She left very early this morning."

"At the Haupbahnhof. She got her passport from another contact and if everything's gone to plan, she should be on her way to the station and then waiting for us to get the train to Vienna."

"We shouldn't be late then," Rudi fiddled again with the straps of his backpack as Coulson opened the door, the two of them taking to the streets.

* * *

Christiane kept walking in the station before she stopped in front of the board, indicating which train the Vienna train would be leaving.

In her jacket's pocket, she could feel between her fingertips her passport. Behind the lining however of the jacket was one side of what remained of her French identification from the war, lined in plastic. The stiffness of the card was somewhat reassuring, cool to the touch through the fabric. She felt the dog tags around her neck, also reassuringly rested. She looked for a spot to stand and watch. It was 10am, in which five minutes time, Coulson and Rudi would arrive and they would pass through the control. Five more minutes and Rudi and her would be free, she thought.

She crossed her arms, leaning against the wall as she watched the crowd of people move about in front of her, her eyes always vigilant. Her eyes did a scan once, before her eyes settled on that of a man standing across the crowd, suddenly appearing out of nowhere. He watched her before suddenly walking towards her determined.

 _Three minutes._

Her heart jumped as she started to move, finding whatever opening she could to run away. She felt a hand tighten around her arm as she struggled, kicking the man beside her easily. Christiane moved again in the crowd, finding an opening as she sprinted. She ripped at her pocket, dropping her identification to the side and shoving her backpack off as she made for an alley in station connected to a street only to have a man step out from a corner, digging a sharp needle to her neck. She saw a car stop in front, her vision blurring.

 _One minute. There was only one minute left…_

Slowly, she felt it again, darkness coming to her. The ringing in her ears. She felt herself go limp as they dragged her away.

* * *

"Shit!" Coulson hissed as he looked around for Lelia in the station. "Rudi where the hell is she?"

"This isn't her, she wouldn't just run off like that." Rudi shook his head, trying to look over the crowd. He started walking, looking into each opening the station connected to the street. His eyes stopped over one alley, a brown bag on the floor.

He looked over the cloud, his eyes meeting Coulson as he made way through to him.

"Is it hers?" Coulson frantically got down, moving the bag aside. Underneath the bag was her passport and a laminated card of identification. He took the card between his fingers, slowly getting up. "Rudi?"

He let out a sigh, covering his face with his hands.

"This can't be right," Coulson looked to the card in shock and horror. A photograph of Lelia in black and white looked to him. Cursive handwriting written beside:

 _Christiane Gérard Bougourd. Née 24 Decembre 1922. Paris, France._

"Coulson, what the hell's going on?" Rudi shook the agent, standing frozen to the spot.

"How did you know her? Lelia? Christiane? Whoever the hell she is?" Coulson almost gasped out, clutching to the documents.

Rudi hesitated, remembering the pact the two had made, "A family friend sent her. But she is Christiane."

Coulson furrowed his eyebrows, feeling each tick of the watch on his wrist before he let go of the tension, looking back to Rudi.

"You need to get on that train. I'm staying here to find her." Coulson moved, taking up Christiane's belongings over his shoulder as he pushed Rudi back into the main part of the station, Coulson starting to run to the platform.

"Someone out there knows her better than we do but right now you need to get out of here! My contact in Vienna, she'll be waiting at the station with a red hat and scarf, she'll make sure you're settled in. Get on that train now."

He took to the wagon's steps, looking down to Coulson on the platform, "Whatever's happened, you make sure you find her."

Coulson nodded as he watched Rudi nod once, a thanks to it before he disappeared into the wagon. He turned around as he put Christiane's papers into his jacket, picking up his step back to the warehouse.

Rudi watched Coulson walk away as he sat to himself. He bent his head down, whispering a prayer through his lips.

* * *

"Sir, with your permission I'd like to run some tests on her?" Came a voice in the darkness.

"No, she is only an intimidation tool for the soldier. He remembers something about her and as long as she lives in our possession, he is obedient."

 _She felt each nerve on her body on fire, her sister's voice in her ear._

 _"Christiane! Wake up!"_

 _She tried to open her eyes, seeing her sister above her._ _"You need to survive."_

Christiane blinked, the scene shifting as she watched herself inside a pod. One of those things Zola had put her in so long ago.

 _Wake up!_ She screamed at herself. She looked to her hands, almost translucent, like she was some sort of spirit.

She could feel the cold seeping into her skin, to her bones. She felt it all over again. The dogtags stung against her chest, ice against metal.


	41. Chapter 41

**Author's Note:** A little transition before the next chapter. A coming together. Would love to hear what you think!

* * *

She felt herself succumb to the cold. The darkness embracing her. The numbness, a kiss on her cheeks spreading to her whole body deep into each nerve and bone as it greeted her once again. Christiane felt panic, almost like an electric shock coursing through her before she took another breath, feeling as if her spirit left her body as it came to stand beside the cyro-pod.

 _Wake up. Wake up goddammit, Christiane. Wake up!_

She felt it, setting her muscles into blocks. She watched as the frost came creeping onto the pod's window.

A rattle sounded from down the arched hallway, damp and orange hued lights to another lab to a man strapped to a chair with a machine looming above him, his voice screaming, echoing as it bounced against the walls.

"Cristiana!"

She tried turning her head to the voice, the final embrace of the cold solidifying as she felt herself fall. A girl in winter once again.

* * *

 **Sakaar, Anya.**

"I saw her Val, I saw her again." Anya sat at the foot of her bed, her face in her hands with tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Tell me again, where did you see her?" Val hugged her tightly, stroking her friend's hair as she tried to calm her down.

"She's alive, I'm telling you she's alive!" She sobbed, catching onto her breath, "She was being held in some sort of ice chamber, frozen in time."

"Anya, it's a dream." Val sighed, taking Anya's hand in hers.

"It felt so real," she shook her head, barely a whisper. "It all feels so real."

* * *

 **Berlin**

"What do you mean she was missing in action in 44?" Coulson paced, keeping piece of identification between his fingers.

 _"She disappeared into thin air, Agent Coulson."_

"Is there anyone around from then in the agency who can tell me something?"

 _"Agent Carter sir, she fought alongside her."_

"Give me the number? Thanks."

He put the phone down, immediately putting in the number.

 _"Hello?"_

"Hello, is this Margaret Carter?"

 _"Depends who's asking?"_

"My name is Phillip J. Coulson, ma'am. I'm stationed at the S.H.I.E.L.D. office in Berlin."

 _"Ah yes, you've stirred quite the racket down there. I've heard good things about your abilities to bring in good intel."_

He chuckled, trying to keep his composure, "Yes ma'am," he cleared his throat, "The reason I'm calling you is if you could tell me more about a certain agent you worked with, Christiane Bougourd?"

There was a silence, followed by a sigh, _"Yes, Christiane and her sister were my friends, we practically grew up together."_

"She went missing in 44, is that right?"

 _"Yes. I remember she left early that morning at our London base back when it was still the SSR. She left me a note saying she had gone to Hyde Park for a walk. We never saw her again."_

"Forgive me, but what I am about to tell you is something," he paused, "Something I can't even get my head around."

 _"Let's hear it."_

"I had an agent in East Berlin, couriering intel for us to the West. She suddenly appeared out of nowhere, as a sister to another agent. She called herself Lelia. I was to help her and her brother to the West and eventually bring them to the States. Unfortunately, Lelia did not make it to the rendezvous point. All I found was her identification, and an old ID from the 40s, a Christiane Gérard Bougourd."

Another silence, her voice replying in suspicion and anticipation, _"What are you saying?"_

"I believe that somehow, your Christiane from the 40s is alive right now, posing as Lelia. She hasn't aged a day."

 _"That can't be possible, she would be 66 right now."_

"But what if there was a way, something out of this world or by science that allowed it?"

Silence again, a breath. _"If it were possible. Forgive me Agent Coulson, I must make another phone call. The next time you are back in Washington, I'd very much like to meet with you."_

"Thank you ma'am."

Peggy put down the receiver, her eyes focusing on the picture frame she kept on top of the fireplace. A photograph of herself with Anya and Christiane in London.

 _God, Christiane, where are you?_  
She glanced to the filing box on her shelf in her study, years of trying to trace her down.

Peggy sighed as she sat back in the armchair by the phone, putting her face into her hands.

* * *

 **2012**

Anya's eyes adjusted to the darkness, a wind blowing from the abyss. She was dreaming, standing on a rocky planet.

Her heart leapt. It had been so long, years like eternity since she last dreamt of Loki. She couldn't find him anymore. She couldn't hear or see him. Anya watched Loki knelt in front of her with a scepter in his hand, an icy blue glow, watching his other figure in full attire walk amongst dark figure. His eyes were icy blue like the scepter's glow, a control to his focus as if he was just a mere puppet, driven mad. A puppet.

 _Loki, no._

"The Chitauri are growing restless."

His voice came, eyes focused in front. "Let them gird themselves. I will lead them in the glorious battle."

 _Please. God I'm so sorry I couldn't find you sooner._

"Battle? Against the meagre might of Earth?"

"Glorious, not lengthy." He smirked. "If your force is as formidable as you claim."

"You question us? You question him? He put the scepter in your hand. Who gave you ancient knowledge and new purpose when you were cast out, defeated?"

 _Who? Who have you made a deal with Loki?_

"I was a king! The rightful king of Asgard, betrayed."

 _No, no. Not like this. Loki, what have you done._

"Your ambition is little and born of childish need. We look beyond the Earth to the greater worlds the Tesseract will unveil."

 _The Tesseract? Your mother swore me to protect the Tesseract._

"You don't have the Tesseract yet.

The figure launched across, a hand at ready to Loki.

"I don't threaten. But until I open the doors, until your force is mine to command, you are but words."

"You will have your war, Asgardian. If you fail, if the Tesseract is kept from us, there will be no realm, no barren moon, no crevice where he cannot find you. You think you know pain? He will make you long for something sweet as pain."

 _Loki no!_

A light flashed between the two as Loki's figure disappeared, leaving Anya behind. She watched the dark figure move to a large rock, a glimmer falling as it revealed a large figure with purple skin and golden armor bellowing.

"Good." He smiled. Anya felt the hairs on her arm raise, something about him put her on edge. "Did you find the Asgardian he is fond of?"

"No my lord," the Chitauri bowed down.

"His mind showed her to me. His one weakness. We can't have any distractions can we?"

Anya felt pressure to her head as her heart suddenly sped faster, pulling her back to reality as she woke gasping for air, coughing. Val quickly woke to the sound, running to her.

Val saw her look, as white as a ghost as she whispered eyes wide, "It's Loki. Something's happened."


	42. Chapter 42

**Author's Note:** Very short chapter, also really badly written (apologies...) but thought it was time and it's now or never.

* * *

It was quiet save for the constant hum of electric around her. Or coming from her. Whispers of the wind brushing against her. The darkness around her.

"Hello?"

"Is anyone out there? Hello?"

Her ears pricked at the sound of wind against her ear, a voice so quiet only to her. " _Christiane_." _"Don't leave me." "Help!"_

"What the hell?" She turned around, looking for the voice.

The voices started coming together, getting louder.

Her feet tried to stay strong as she stumbled backwards through the barren whiteness, fog engulfing around her. The air felt like ice, pricking at her skin, sinking deep into her bones with each breath she took stinging. She could hear a high pitched echo from the distance as she turned on her heels, trying to find the sound again.

Her heart started to race as she felt her feet catch up, each stride of a walk turning into a full sprint as she started down into oblivion.

The ringing was behind her, overwhelming as it stung her ears until it filled the void, each and every space until she forced herself to stop, taking in the chaos around her, soaking it in with a deep breath. She closed her eyes, feeling the pulse of electricity flowing from her heart to her fingertips until her eyes opened, "Enough!", a wave of blue blasting from her hands.

Almost suddenly like the energy that came from her came a wave of darkness as she felt herself surrounded in it. Empty, and nothing.

* * *

 **2013**

Natasha and Clint looked both sides, before taking a step to cross the street in a quiet area just outside Prague. Their footsteps were almost silent against the cobblestone, except for the slight crunch of ice against her boots.

They had been hunting down Red Room cells on an incognito mission sent by Fury throughout Europe.

As they opened up the trapdoor down into the underground tunnels, they lowered themselves down into the darkness. Natasha switched on her flashlight as she walked, Clint following behind, looking for the door they had found in the notebook amongst the cell they had raided in Bulgaria earlier.

Natasha undid the bobby pin from her bun, quickly managing to open the metal door before leading to another series of networks deeper underground. They kept walking until they found another door at the end of the tunnel, in a deep dark red. Clint took the keys from his pocket, courtesy of a man he hunted down in Latvia who had worked for the Red Room test bases formed from Hydra kidnaps.

The keys went into the slot, as the locks gave way, clanking against the metal. Clint went inside first, looking around as he eyes adjusted to the darkness, his hands going to a light switch.

It looked like a lab, files strewn on a desk with a set of books on one bookshelf. Natasha busied herself exploring deeper until she found another red door, quickly pulling open the lock.

Her heart felt it had suddenly stopped as she looked amongst the quiet hum of a generator, an icy wind prickling her.

"Clint?"

"What is it?" He shouted from down the hall.

"You'll want to come see this."  
She heard his footsteps job over to stand beside her.

"It can't be," his voice rasped as the two of them looked to a chamber, "Christiane Bougourd."


	43. Chapter 43

Author's Note: Some time jumps beforehand! Just to better understand Christiane's powers of the Tesseract, her role as a child of Vili (Odin's brother) while her DNA being fused with the Tesseract.

She flits in and out of the dreamworld every time she's brought back from freezing. She's still learning and trying to understand who she is.

Somewhere over the Atlantic

Natasha watched the girl laying on the metallic tray in front, her skin slowly thawing. Her chest refusing to rise and fall. She looked to Clint, leaning against the walls of the QuinJet, nervously chewing on his lip.

"Clint, we followed every rule in the book in the lab to bring her back. Why isn't she waking?"

He sighed, eyes focused on the girl, "I don't know. We can't bring her back lifeless, Steve would be devastated."

"You told him?"

"Not yet, I haven't told anyone yet save for Banner."

"Banner's a quantum physicist, not a doctor."

"He'll know what to do, Nat."

She let out a breathe, watching the girl, "I really hope so."

"What do you remember of the girl?"

"They brought me with the other girls of the Red Room to look at her, the torture she had to go through. She was the example to us if we did not obey."

"If she doesn't wake in the next hour, I'm using Stark's defibrillator." He nodded before heading to the cockpit.

Natasha sat, running her auburn hair through her fingers as she sighed, trying to wipe away the memory of her past.

1991 Russia

"Come along girls," the headmistress called down the hallway as a flurry of girls in black training suits. "Our friends in Moscow have brought us an example, to remind us of what we, Black Widows strive towards."

Natasha walked silently behind her, coming into the doctor's laboratory as a girl sat in a sleeveless black neoprene suit, her short blonde hair soaked, dark brown roots growing, as she curled herself into a ball, trying to hide her face from the crowd of girls. Her arms were covered in dark purple bruises and cuts as she began to whisper to herself in a language unfamiliar to her.

"You see girls, driven to madness and experimented on. This is what happens when you disobey."

"Headmistress, what is she saying?" a girl looked to her, her face hidden from everyone by her hair.

Christiane had been rocking herself back and forth, her mind clinging to the memory of what the visions in her darkness had showed her. She remembered them drowning her, electrocuting her.

"Jeg er Christiane, Villi barn. Prinsessen av Asgard. (I am Christiane, child of Villi. Princess of Asgard.)" she whispered to herself, muttering the words.

The headmistress continues, circling around the girl, "What do we do to our enemies, girls?"

The girls shouted in unison, echoing throughout the room, "We eliminate them!"

Christiane closed her eyes, muting out the chanting that had begun from the girls, breathing heavily through her nose as her mind went to the last memory she had before the darkness succumbed.

December 1989, Russia

(11 months since Berlin)

"Marvelous, her body instantly reacts to whatever substance we put in her, as if there is an energy surging through her." The scientist observed, writing down the girl's vitals.

"What does this mean then for the Winter Soldier program?" The Commander stalked the work station, observing the girl awake on the surgical table, dosed under an agent.

"If I am able to find a way to extract that part of what I think is in her DNA, a special superhuman gene, I can apply it to our serum," the scientist turned to the commander maliciously, an evil grin appearing.

"Get it done." The commander turned, leaving the lab. The screams of the girl started to echo with the surge of a generator behind him, his footsteps clicking down the underground hallway.

Between it all, Christiane felt every nerve of her light on fire, the energy coursing through her as she screamed for what felt like hours but mere minutes, before she closed her eyes, taking in the pain of whatever the scientist had hooked her up to the machine. She turned her hands into fists, sparks of blue coming from her fingertips before she released, a wave of energy exploding from her as it blew the machine and the scientist into the wall. Her eyes went to the scientist limp on the floor, the machine blown to bits. The commander and two lab assistants quickly running back into the lab, checking the scientist's pulse before approaching her, menace in his eyes.

"You will pay for this," he tucked a stray strand of hair from her, before turning to the assistants, "Put her on ice until we find a replacement," as he started out the door again before turning around "Make sure she suffers for taking the life of a patron of Hydra."

Asgard

"A blessing from Vili and you. You bestowed upon Anya with the order of the Valkyrie, guaranteeing her safety throughout millennia's. And yet, I cannot see her, she is hidden from my view. Christiane has the gift. You blessed her as Guardian of the Tesseract, of space and time. Her gift from Vili, to enter realms of dreams, with what the Tesseract did to her, she is stronger than she knows, Your Highness. But she must go her own way. It is what the Fates told you, did they not?" Heimdall looked to the bridge, eyes in sorrow.

"There must be something we can do, a loophole we can get through Odin's rule? She needs to understand her abilities! The Fates prophesied prolonged life, space being her domain of power, the energy of the Tesseract flowing through her. She is almost as powerful as the Kree's photon blasts, yet with the grace and honor as a Valkyrie, which she is not. She will become a warrior on Midgard. Only under extreme stress and control will the powers of the Tesseract reveal itself from her. She is of no danger to us!" Frida pleaded.

"Your Highness," Heimdall turned to her, "We are sworn not to interact with the world of the humans. As long as she is on Midgard, it is out of our domain."

Frida snatched the sword, running to the Bifrost's gate as she attempted to turn the key, heavy under her push.

"Frida!" A voice commanded as a glimmer appeared beside her, Odin bellowed.

"Odin, how can you do this? She is your brother's child, his last living descendant. She is suffering!" Frida shouted, anger coursing as she walked to him, looking him dead set in the eyes.

"You know full well the rules. She is none of our concern."

"You never treated her like one of us, always alienating any of Vili's descendants."

"We must protect ourselves, Frida." Odin spoke, his eyes never meeting hers.

"You only cared for yourself." She brushed past him, walking back to the bridge leading to the palace.

2012 - Christiane

Christiane moved at night, shielded from the blinding light and wind gone. During the day, she took cover in the hollow deep groove of a white smooth rock, throwing the knife she with her to a target on the other side until she could easily throw, like a knife through butter. She hit the target every time, bored and haunted by memories in moments awake or drifting out of consciousness.

She would walk for miles, fleeting between moments of light and darkness. Sometimes it felt like she slept for eternity, before waking to the sun rising across the white barren land, warmth on her cheeks before disappearing again. She made do with the time, watching the sunrise and sunsets, basking in the blue hour of twilight under Ursa Major, Polaris and Orion.

She came to understand it was the dream realm, like the one she had been in while controlling Rudi's dreams so long ago. This, was her own dreams. In the time she was frozen, locked in time, moments when the temperature dropped slightly in her chamber, unconscious to her, the slit between the world and her dream realm thinned as she slipped into consciousness in that realm. She guided herself through the sands, controlling her emotions. She felt the pulse and prickle of the energy in her, ruled by her anger, her sadness. Christiane mastered the blue energy that came from her, that came from the Tesseract.

Years and years, trying and failing before blacking out again. She kept walking, kept trying.

This was her time.

Wake up.

A whisper against her ear.

Wake up. It is your time.

Her mother's voice.

Wake up, Christiane.

She felt her heart beat. One. Two.

Wake up.

Her eyelids moved, her fingers twitching.

Wake up!

Christiane bolted upright, her lungs gasping for air as she choked for a breath, breathing heavy before she coughed. Gripping her hands on the edge of the table.

Meanwhile on Sakaar at the same time

Anya bolted upright, her heart beating hard against her chest as she gasped for air, quickly trying to find the light in her room in the darkness.

"Anya!" Val quickly ran to her side, checking on her. "Are you okay?"

Anya breathed, steadying each breath as she felt warmth in her chest. She felt a flutter, a smile appearing to her lips.

"She's alive."

She turned to her, her smile widening as a tear came, rolling down her cheek.

"Christiane is alive."

Natasha jumped back as the girl in front of her suddenly bolted upright, gasping for air before coughing violently.

"Clint!" She shouted, looking to him frantically pushing buttons to engage autopilot as he jumped out the seat, running to her.

Nat's eyes widened, watching the girl regain her breathing before her gaze settled to hers. Frantically glancing between Clint and hers.

"Hey, it's okay. You're safe now," her hands outreached to her, indicating no danger.

Christiane looked nervously between the two people standing in front of her. They looked harmless, wearing civilian clothes save for the knives she could see concealed under the woman with red hair.

"Where am I?" she asked, almost demanding as her left hand loosened its grip from the table, quickly pulling out the dog tags at her neck, reassuring her.

"Somewhere off the coast of Maine," the man spoke, we arms crossed, looking relaxed as he looked to her, observing her.

"Who are you?" her right hand loosened, coming together with her left as they intertwined, calming her nerves.

"I'm Natasha, and this is Clint." The woman smiled, offering a glass of water beside her to Christiane.

"You are not Hydra?" she asked warily.

The two looked to each other, "The Avengers, SHIELD, whatever you want to call us, Christiane." Natasha replied cooly.

Her eyes perked up, caution tightening through her, "How do you know my name? What's your proof?"

Clint shrugged, smiling to her, "Lieutenant Christiane Gérard Bougourd, a Howling Commando. Thought to have gone missing in 1945 in London while working with the SSR. An engineer, spy and courier."

She looked to him warily again, awaiting for him to continue.

Natasha sighed, crossing her arms, "Steve told us. Christiane, you've woken up in 2012 and - "

"Steve? Steve Rogers?" Her voice raised in disbelief, "how, how is that possible? He died flying the Valkyrie down. I was there," her voice almost a whisper, "My sister was there."

"Steve was found last year by an Arctic expedition, frozen on ice."

Christiane held her face in her hands, trying to comprehend the information. A voice came over the QuinJet, as she jumped at the sound.

"Arriving to Stark Tower in 10 minutes."

She looked around frantically for the voice, panic setting in.

Nat got up, sitting beside her as she took her hand in hers, "Easy, you're safe now. I won't let them get you."

She looked to Christiane, a little younger than her by perhaps one or two years. Nat felt a sense of protection over her, something she didn't quite understand. But she felt she owed it to her, to protect her from the horrors of Hydra and the Red Room.

Before Christiane knew it, she was walking beside Nat and Clint into a room from the QuinJet with ceiling to floor glass as they entered into an elevator, Clint talking "22nd floor."

A voice coming over, "22nd floor requested."

Christiane muttered under her breath, taking in the strange new environment around her in amazement and shock, "What the hell..."

The doors slid open in front of her, another man with glasses waiting as he smiled to her.

"Christiane, I'm Dr. Banner, but you can call me Bruce." Walking alongside the trio.

"Bruce," she nodded, before looking to her surroundings, taking in the technology, and architecture around her.

"If you'd kindly sit here? Can I take your blood?" he asked, looking to her with caution.

"You may," she put her left arm out, still in her sleeveless neoprene suit.

The doctor drew blood, before going to a table with machines as he slid in a vial into it.

"This should give us an analysis and understand what you have been through biologically."

"You could just ask me," she replied as she put on a band-aid.

"I'll make sure to do that soon, for now, I've got to run another test which I'll have to put you out for it," Bruce hesitantly turned to a needle beside him, picking it up.

"I want to see Steve," she replied cooly.

"Don't you worry, he's getting here soon. Coming back from base in DC." Clint replied, smiling to her.

"What will this test do?"

"It allows me to do a full body scan without any brain activity interfering with the analysis. You'll only be out for 15 minutes and then Nat will show you to your room to freshen up, right?"

Nat nodded, a smile to her lips before she glanced to Christiane, a smile of reassurance.

"Okay fine, do it." She felt moved to the bed, feeling a prick to her arm as she drifted into darkness again, willingly.

15 minutes passed before Christiane awoke to sensors beeping beside her, a voice coming over, "Miss Bougourd, please wait. Dr. Banner will return shortly."

She jumped at the voice, suddenly skeptically glaring around as she tore at the sensor stickers at her arms before taking off running through the doors.

Clint sat outside, waiting for her to come around before suddenly, the doors burst open as she saw Christiane running.

"Kid, wait!"

She kept running down the hallway, overcome with fear and confusion as she heard Clint's feet running behind her. She took another turn, skidding across the cool marble floor only to crash into the body of a tall man.

Her eyes looked up, heart flipping as her lips parted, "Steve?"

"Chrissy?" He looked down to her in awe. She looked no different since the last time they had seen each other in the war, save for the short white blonde hair.

His arms immediately went around her, hugging her tightly to him.

"I can't believe it, you're alive" he breathed relief.

She pulled away from him, placing a hand to his cheek, "Steve, gosh you haven't changed," she smiled, reminiscing at the memories.

Clint approached through the doorway, a small smile on his lips, "I see you've found each other then."

"Frozen in time," Christiane laughed, a weight somewhat lifted off her shoulders.

Steve looked out to the New York night skyline, quietness surrounding him. He could hear the faint echo of Banner's classical music from the lab downstairs.

"Steve?" Christiane tip toed, having just woken up from a few hours of sleep.

"Hmm?" He turned around, putting an arm around her shoulder.

"How have you been?" She asked, a whisper between the two of them.

"Here and there, still fighting the fight. It's been hard trying to get with the times now," he sighed, eyes focused on the bright lights. "Where have you been, Chrissy? All this time?"

"Hydra took me after you and Anya disappeared. They tested on me, tortured me. Then I was rescued by an old friend in the 80s, lived in Berlin and worked as a courier, an agent for intel from the West to the East. Then they caught me again. They put me through torture again. The last I remember, I was put on ice, just another experiment for them." She muttered, trying to push back the memories from her mind.

"You were with my sister on the Valkyrie, what happened?" she turned to him, eyes soft but expression stern.

"There was a light, bright blue. She got pulled into some sort of vortex the Tesseract created." Steve squinted, trying to envision the memory.

Christiane felt her heart flutter, eyes widening, "you're telling me she could be alive?"

"Chrissy," his eyes in sorrow, trying to find words, "She disappeared just like that. Like the earth suddenly opened and swallowed her."

"And Schmidt?" She sighed, trying to accept the reality.

"Also gone with her. I'm sorry," Steve whispered.

Christiane modded quietly, leaning her head onto Steve's shoulder.

They stood like that for a moment in silence, watching and taking in the lights and quiet muted sounds around them.

"Chrissy?" Steve finally spoke.

"Hmm?"

"Come back with me to base in DC? I know how hard it is to get used to things, in this new time. It could do you some good?" He smiled softly to her, something which warmed her heart like the way Anya used to look to her.

She nodded, pulling him closer to her as they continued watching the night.


End file.
